Tension of the Past
by SarahHime
Summary: The Starlights come back to visit Earth and their friends... and must contend with some DRASTIC changes... .:. COMPLETE and REVISED!.:.
1. Sorrow

Tension of the Past  
Part 1  
  
Note: Sailor Moon is owned by Naoko Takeuchi, Toei, Bandai, and any others who have rights to the series. I am in no way trying to get any profit out of this, and have no intention of doing anything illegal... so there. P  
  
So, onto the story. Enjoy!  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
All my life, I have yearned for you, Princess... quietly, and gently protecting you... and what now? What now? You are with my dearest friend, while I will continue to quietly and gently protect you. You will ever know what is in my heart... what I have wanted for so long to tell you. I lingered for the right oment... and it had been given to me countless times... until it was too late.  
  
The room was all silence and darkness, save for the beams of starlight that fell across her pale face. She sat at the table, staring out the window at the stars, and realized she had long ago forgotten which one was Sol. They were all the same now... points of stabbing memories and opportunities lost. Each star was a future that could never be.  
  
Slowly, Yaten placed her head on the table, her silver hair streaming across her shoulders, her forehead resting on the open paper back novel she had stopped reading. The pages resembled cloth now more than the crisp sheets when she had first held it in her hands. Yaten had forgotten how many times she had read the words, had pressed the book to her heart after reading the inscription. A gift. A gift from Earth. From a girl so annoying, it made her want to scream. And yet from a girl that cared for her enough to always have a place in Yaten's heart.  
  
The thing I will never forget is your kindness to us, even when you didn't understand. Your friends' kindness. You were always there, even when I treated you terribly. I'm sorry I could never say that I returned your affection.  
  
"Yaten..." She lifted her head to see a tall figure leaning against the open door. The figure walked in, and closed it quietly.  
  
With swift fingers, Yaten closed the book and tucked it in her lap. Taiki rose her eyebrows, but said nothing. I see you hurt, and there's nothing I can do to get you out of it. You like the pain Yaten... you've always been addicted to sorrow.  
  
"It's been too quiet," Taiki said finally. "I've known that it can never be the same here... but now the silence is starting to get unbearable."  
  
Yaten sniffed indignantly.  
  
"I know you love her... Seiya knows as well. But the fact is, Kakyuu-hime is in love with Seiya... and the affection is returned. They aren't doing this to spite you. Why should they destroy their happiness to make you less miserable?"  
  
Yaten turned her head away from the truth speaker. Her hands trembled in anger as she clutched the book, and closing her eyes, she deeply inhaled, and exhaled... and inhaled and exhaled, waiting for the red to fade from her eyes.  
  
"I won't support you in this self-pity. That isn't what friends are for."  
  
"And what could you possibly do to help me?" Yaten murmured sharply, and looked deeply into the eyes of Taiki. "You've never attempted to help anyone in your life before. Always Taiki, reaching for the higher ground, all to herself."  
  
A wave of painful hurt swept through the tiny woman's body as those words reached her friend's heart, and immediately, Yaten regretted what she said. Not that she would ever admit it, or that Taiki would show it.  
  
Taiki scowled and turned away. "I don't need to take this abuse anymore. I've let you go on your tantrums before... but I realize now, that was a mistake. You are spoiled, selfish, angry and self-loathing, and that was partly my doing, to let you get away with it."  
  
"Then why are you here? Not to be my mother, I hope, and pat me on the back."  
  
"I'm here to say that you are relieved of your duty to protecting the princess."  
  
"WHAT?" Yaten bolted upright, the chair overturning, the novel falling to the floor with a thud and she stood in front of Taiki, inches away, dangerously close. The woman was nearly twice her height, but Yaten didn't care as she stared her companion down.   
  
Taiki stood her ground, though, and continued. "You are a danger to yourself, the princess and any others around you. You are failing in your routine training."  
  
"You and I both know I'm one of the top three-"  
  
"Were. You were, Yaten. You are now sixth... which makes your office as elite royal guard open to replacement. You are no longer liable to be at the side of Kakyuu-hime. Be glad she trusts you enough so that your replacement will not be permanent."  
  
Yaten was stunned. "How can you do this to me?"  
  
Taiki's features softened, and said, "I'm doing this because I love you. And because I love Kakyuu-hime and Seiya. I know you're taking this hard... but that's your choice. The princess agrees with me that you need a vacation."  
  
"A vacation," repeated Yaten, and scoffed. "Hah. Where is there here that I could possibly want to go? I've been everywhere I've wanted. Nothing compares to the palace."  
  
"You have permission to leave the planet."  
  
Another stab to Yaten's heart. "They don't even need me here."  
  
"It's a gift," answered Taiki, and she bent down, picking up the novel, and handed it to Yaten. Yaten gingerly received it, and Taiki put a hand on her shoulder. "If it's any consolation, I'm going with you."  
  
"You...?"  
  
"Guess who was in fifth place?"  
  
There was a long silence that tingled the air, and Yaten wanted to scream at her, THEN WHY ARE YOU HERE TO TELL ME THIS?! WHAT RIGHT DO YOU HAVE?! But she made the wise decision of keeping her mouth shut.  
  
"It will be good to see Earth again, won't it?" Taiki closed her eyes and smiled. "To see our friends."  
  
The sadness and hope lingered together in the air as memories washed through them, almost a cleansing, the memories of those who could stay pure through anything, while these two women lived their lives marked forever.  
  
The flicker of a moment passed, and Taiki walked to the door and opened it. "So. Come and see me when you want to go. I've been ready for years."  
  
The door closed, and Yaten closed her eyes, her entire body shaking. She didn't know what to do, she was so angry. So she did the only thing she could think of. She screamed. Screamed as she had never done before. Even when pain had killed her, she had not screamed so loud.  
  
Standing up blindly, she slammed the book against the wall as hard as she could, watched as the crackling binding finally broke, and the pages dropped to the ground like sakura petals, floating and twisting to the floor in a small puddle of paper.  
  
Yaten kneeled down and stared at the corpse of the book she had loved so.  
  
My God, she thought. I'm killing myself.  
  
Sweeping her fingers through the paper, she finally found the first page, and held it in her hands as she read the words that had been lovingly written to her alone.  
  
Dear Yaten, I hope you come to love this book as much as I have. Don't forget you are always welcome where we are. Good luck in your new life, and may you find the love you have been searching for. Love, Minako.  
  
Yaten folded the page in her palm and calmly stood up, looking around the room one last time, and rushed out the door to catch up with Taiki, who waited at the end of the hall with an outstretched arm.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"Michiru..."  
  
"Hai, Haruka. I feel it. Alien souls touching our home..."  
  
"Do you think it could be trouble?"  
  
"They feel so familiar... like a nearly faded memory." Her eyes widened. "They are fellow senshi... it's them."  
  
"It's been so long."  
  
"Should we alert the others?" asked Michiru.  
  
"If we need their help, they are a moment away. But I doubt they will have the strength to stay conscious."  
  
The two girls henshined, and looked away from the seemingly twin comets. Facing each other, clasping hands, and closing eyes, they sailed into the air on beams of light to meet the foreigners who deigned to enter their solar system.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Light. A breath away from my fingers. She stands radiant, full of purity and love for every living creature that touches her sight. If only I could be her... long ago I was... but now, everything is losing its meaning. I wish... I wish... I was the girl I had been 900 years ago.  
  
Where have I gone?  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Sailor Star Maker and Star Healer watched as the streaks of light, one yellow, one aqua, headed straight for them. They looked at each other, stopped their speed, and waited as the beams stilled in front of them. Sailor Neptune and Uranus looked at them warily, as if they were a sight that had not been seen for centuries.  
  
"You have entered our solar system," began Uranus icily. "Without any communication to let us know you were coming. Either you are in desperation and need assistance with your planet, or you do not know the protocol that has been around for quite some time. We ask you now, as the outer gate to this system, your reason for being here after so long, and why you have made no attempt to contact us before."  
  
Star Maker and Star Healer looked to each other, the tall woman instantly becoming the diplomat. Star Healer knew that disaster would strike if she opened her mouth.  
  
"We have not come for assistance," answered Star Maker. "We apologize for the lack of communication between Earth and our planet. Sailor Star Maker and I are on leave, and assumed we were welcome here. Did the inner senshi not give us permission 9 years ago?"  
  
"Nine years..." murmured Neptune, her eyes wide. Uranus seemed just as shocked. "You really believe that...?"  
  
"We would have tried to create an alliance between our planets... but it had taken longer than we had thought to build the machinery we needed to sustain life. We have only resided on our planet for a few years, and it has taken all the energy of our queen to get things under control and running again. We meant no disrespect. There was just a lack of time."  
  
There was a long silence as Uranus and Neptune weighed Star Maker's words. They looked at Star Healer, who, afraid to speak, opened her arms, palms up, and shrugged. Uranus then looked at Neptune who shook her head. The blonde senshi looked slightly disappointed, so the Starlights knew something good had happened.  
  
Star Healer took a chance saying, "So......?"  
  
"You are free to pass, as this is a planetary issue. You may use the solar system as far as Neptune so long as it causes no harm to inhabitants or planetary structures." There was an exhale of relief. "But don't be so confident when you reach the inner gate to Earth. She's been moody lately. Any wrong move and you'll be thrown out. And I won't my pleasure when I see you gone."  
  
The two outer senshi turned away from them, and left the confused travelers alone.  
  
"It's been a while since we were that harsh," murmured Neptune as they sped down to their mansion.  
  
"I can't help it when these things include our friends."  
  
"I wonder how Ami-chan will take it."   
  
"I wonder how Taiki will take it." A flicker of a grin passed between the two at the thought, and the aura around them relaxed somewhat.  
  
"Well, how about taking up that invitation to the palace finally?"  
  
"Sounds like a good plan. I've been missing fireworks."  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"Venus."  
  
"...Hai..."  
  
"Visitors, heading to Crystal Tokyo with Outer gate acceptance."  
  
"...Thank you..."  
  
"And Minako-chan?"  
  
"...hai?"  
  
"Keep your chin up."  
  
"...Thank you, Neptune. I will."  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"Masaka..." gasped Taiki as they stood on a roof of a transformed Earth. Buildings of incredible design were strewn across the land as far as the eyes could see, the only familiar building being Tokyo Tower, a seemingly ugly metal mass to the huge sparkling crystals surrounding it. The thing most eye catching thing, though, was the palace, a breath-taking splendor, a building seeming to be carved from one crystal. It shown like the sun.  
  
Yaten echoes his friend's disbelief. "It's only been... but... how?"  
  
His head turned to see the Crown Arcade, the familiar image warming him slightly, but adding to the chill as he noticed the brick to the building had changed, becoming more translucent, nearly sparkling, and not a deep red, but a pale rose. Without a word, he opened the door and walked in, sighing in relief as he watched children screaming and laughing as they hopped from game to game, and reassured by the face of Sailor V plastered all over the place.  
  
The only difference with the games was the fact that they looked more technologically advanced. MUCH more. Nine years had brought a lot more than a crystallized city, that was for sure. The children and teenagers seemed to be in their own virtual worlds as they kicked and punched at whatever was in their vision behind those goggles, obviously getting the job done with their battle cries of victory.  
  
Yaten snickered. Their form was AWFUL, and yet they acted as if they were masters of the Sailor V Martial Arts. Then again, they could be. Minako was never one for applying herself. His smile widened impishly. He'd have to try that game sometime, where that pressure point suit and goggles. It would be interesting to be Sailor V, that was for sure.  
  
Was Motoki here? He turned around to look at the desk, and saw a young man with purple hair flirting with a young school girl, her giggle fits piercing his ears. Definitely not him. Motoki had better taste than that.  
  
He opened the door and started to go back outside, but froze when he saw HER.  
  
Taiki was still staring in disbelief at the sight around him, when he heard a click of a heel. He swirled around to stare at a sailor senshi suited woman in a stance of cool profession, one hand on her hip, and one holding her long golden chain loosely in her fingers. She did not stare into his eyes, but seemed to, as she surveyed the area with her peripheral vision.  
  
Sailor Venus had subtly changed since he had last seen her. Her legs were more defined, more slender, and her hips had filled out, finishing off that hourglass curve. The feeling around her was that she was used to her body, had adapted to this vehicle of her soul, a comfortability and sleekness to every movement. But the difference that made him most alarmed was that she actually LOOKED like Aino Minako, as if they were truly the same person and not just different aspects of her.  
  
"What are you doing out of your cage?" Her tone was menacing, low, terrifying. "I'm not in the mood for your pointless games, Taiki. Not today. We're expecting visitors and your wasting my time. You just made the worst mistake of your life, you know that?"  
  
"Eep?"  
  
The woman began to walk towards Taiki, beginning to close the distance between them. Taiki sent a distressed look to Yaten, and he ran out to join his friend. They immediately henshined, causing Venus to stop and stare, gaping, her fury disappearing as shock overcame her."  
  
"Masaka... it can't be... But Uranus and Neptune said..."   
  
"S-Sailor Venus?" asked Star Healer. There was a startled look on her face, and finally, Venus looked into her eyes, hesitantly, slowly, and Healer wanted to run as far away as she could possibly go. Those eyes were the eyes of an ancient woman who had lived as a hermit all her life. The pain slammed into Healer as wave upon wave of grief and self-doubt flowed through her veins. A veil of loneliness covered her soul.  
  
What happened to you? You were once this shining star so bright I had to shield my eyes whenever you walked into the room... and now you are barely here.  
  
"Yaten...?" The chain dropped from her hands as she stared at him in disbelief, and for a brief moment, she de-henshined, her eyes became young, sparkling from the thin layer of tears that appeared.  
  
A sharp intake of breath stopped Minako. She recoiled quickly, and was once more Sailor Venus, dropping swiftly to retrieve her fallen weapon. But she was visibly shaking. The two women de-henshined, and Yaten stepped back, and closed himself for fear that he would break.  
  
"You finally came back..." Keep your chin up. Her shoulders rotated back and relaxed. "What took you so long?"  
  
"I-it took longer than expected to get everything ready-" began Taiki.  
  
"We didn't have time," said Yaten, scowling. He didn't want to have to listen to his cerebral friend's monologue again. "We had an entire nation, petrified, a queen not nearly ready to run a planet on her own, and a depressed soldier who couldn't get her ass up and running. Of course it would take time... a few years is not that long. You didn't expect us to come running back after a couple of weeks, did you? Crying because we need our dear old friends who can only work in a group of TEN to get any damage done? Give me a break."  
  
Taiki slapped his forehead, and pushed Yaten behind him... "Perfect, Yaten. Thanks for the help. All we need to hear is a very reasonable 'no' from an obviously angry 'gate', and we're back home."  
  
"If your queen takes nine centuries to get a planet under control, then obviously you would have some problems," answered Venus, who pushed her anger down to a bear minimum.  
  
"Nine..."  
  
"...Centuries?"  
  
"Oh yes... mm-hmm. Like you can't count. Wonderful you two. Just glorious. Either you got more stupid as years go by or you've been living in the biggest denial I've ever seen."  
  
That got Taiki. With a small eyebrow twitch, he began to list all his accomplishments, when Yaten interrupted him.   
  
"Stupid? Oh, who's the stupid one to actually let her guard down that moment ago, huh? You could have been dead if I had wanted to kill you. And what's with this ice queen thing all of a sudden, taking lessons from Haruka?"  
  
"Hey now," said Taiki, his eyes widening as Venus' hands clutched her chain in a death grip of control. He had no doubt that the metal would be twisted when she released. "Remember the 'no'."  
  
"Let's get out of here. I've taken all the lashing I can handle for one day... what with the two love birds who seem to have the same mouth, and now this who looks as old as she really is."  
  
"NANI?!"  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"Jupiter! We need backup. NOW."  
  
"Gotcha!"  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW I AM THE SUPER IDOL AINO MINAKO, THE SENSHI OF LOVE, SAILOR VENUS, THE LEADER OF THE PROTECTORS OF THIS PLANET... I AM LOVED BY EVERYBODY ON EARTH AND I LOOK DAMN GOOD FOR A NINE-HUNDRED AND..........."  
  
There was a flash of light that only Sailor Star Healer and Sailor Venus could see. There was a burst of energy, raw, hungry and powerful, that only Yaten and Minako could feel.  
  
I am the super idol Aino Minako. I am the senshi of Love and Light, Sailor Venus... I am the leader of the protectors of this planet... I am loved by everybody on Earth... and I am beautiful...  
  
She looked at Yaten slowly, who smiled sweetly and said, "Nice to see you again, Aino-san." 


	2. Release

Tension of the Past  
Part 2  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
We've passed through ages together, you and I... sharing each other's strength and love. I watch you wilt as I bloom, and a sadness overcomes me... I can't keep on living for you. I can't keep on watching you're life soar with every man you meet, and then hit a new rock bottom three months later...  
  
But what am I to do? You are the foundation of my safety... but you may also be my undoing.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Sailor Jupiter and Mars appeared on the far end of the roof behind Sailor Venus, and raced to either side of the blond senshi, ready and able for any action.  
  
"Disturbing the peace of this planet is a one way ticket to hell, Taiki," shouted Jupiter, using as much acting technique as she could muster, moving into a menacing martial arts stance. Anybody who wasn't used to seeing a black belt in a skimpy sailor fuku would have laughed their last laugh.  
  
"Guys," started Venus, trying to get them out of battle mode. It was hard, though, once they got into their monologues.  
  
"Challenging one Sailor Senshi is challenging another," continued Mars, with just as much enthusiasm, bringing out several spirit chants and splaying the thin rice paper like a hand of cards.   
  
"I don't think you understand--"  
  
"It's all for one and one for all! I'm Sailor Jupiter, the foundation of strength!"  
  
"I'm Sailor Mars, the base of the spirit! Together we will punish you on behalf of Sailor Venus and our queen!"  
  
"WHOA! WAIT A SECOND!" yelled Venus, and stepped in front of the Starlights, blocking their way.  
  
A rush of golden threads slapped Star Healer's face and then... an incredible burst of light. All was silent for a   
moment, and Star Healer watched as the girl fell to her death right in front of her, a death that had been meant for herself. And as her life sped away, all that Venus could think of was Star Healer, and how happy she was to give the girl a second chance at life...  
  
"Huh?" Mars and Jupiter looked at her. "What are you doing, Venus? Taiki got out again! We have to put him back  
before anybody gets hurt!"  
  
"From what? A cage?" wondered Taiki.  
  
"Again?" said Yaten.  
  
"This isn't Taiki!" cried Venus.  
  
"Jeeze, girl," reprimanded Jupiter. "Have you been taking something?"  
  
Mars cocked her head to one side and took a good long look at Yaten, long enough to make him turn a deep shade of red.  
  
"What do you think you're doing?" he said a bit flustered.  
  
"Hey now..." said Mars. "Ami-chan never told us she made a YATEN clone."  
  
"Clone...?" asked Yaten.  
  
"Wha...?" Jupiter made a double take on Yaten... and all time seemed to stand still. Until of course, Yaten jumped in front of Venus and started to rant.  
  
"WHAT THE HELL KIND OF PLANET DO YOU RUN AROUND HERE?!"  
  
Jupiter looked at Mars, obviously puzzled. "There's always been time for little dialogues and cute interactions with   
the enemy, hasn't there?"  
  
"As far as I can remember... unless it's the boss... that's a whole other story."  
  
"Mm-hmm." Jupiter nodded in agreement.  
  
As Yaten fumed, Taiki closed his eyes and grinned. I had forgotten was bliss was like. Earth has always been different than our own planet. A sense of lightness and purity. We tried to take that back with us... but it faded as time wore on.   
  
Before he left, Taiki had said good-bye to Kakyuu and her consort and saw that same lightness and purity in their   
eyes. It radiated from her and Seiya. I almost didn't want to leave.  
  
Taiki came back to reality when he heard the silence. Everybody was staring at him.  
  
"Sorry," he said, blushing. "I was just thinking how great Earth was."  
  
"N-nani?" Mars stopped her observations.  
  
"Oh, yeah. Just dandy," answered Yaten, crossing his arms. "Guardians don't give old friends a warm welcome... they just make clones and lock them in cages, waiting for the angry devils to destroy the world. Things must be really boring these days, huh?"  
  
"Ma-Mako-chan," stuttered Mars. She blinked rapidly.  
  
"Do you think...?"  
  
"They're the real ones?"  
  
"A Taiki 00?"  
  
Venus once more stepped in front of Yaten and said, "Welcome Yaten Kou and Taiki Kou to Earth, guys. It's been a while, ne?"  
  
"Hi." Taiki made a small wave as Jupiter looked from one Light to another. Yaten let his shoulders relax in greeting, and sighed.  
  
"So... if this IS the real Taiki... then where's the other one?"  
  
"Oh no!" cried Sailor Venus. "Back to the palace. Now!"  
  
"Would somebody PLEASE tell me what's going on here?!"  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
He was free. Oh he was free, and it felt superb, as he slipped in between the shadows of the pillars of the palace,  
no prison bars holding him back. He had let those annoying women think he had left the grounds (how utterly naïve for guardians of a planet. They had been here for centuries... maybe no excitement got to the head... or those revoltingly tacky outfits), and snuck through the side corridors.  
  
All he had to do was keep away from that damned insane doctor woman and her son who would no doubt grow up to be exactly the same. Hah, and she considered him to be the father. As if it was a possibility. For a child so seemingly intelligent, he turned to mush the moment that Saturn girl entered the room.  
  
No son of his would weaken at the sight of the opposite sex... or to the same either.  
  
Taiki 01 headed for the kitchen, stealthily making sure it was empty for the moment, and slipped through the doors, inching his way to the walls. Bringing out his lock pick set, the man started unlocking the expensive cupboards when he reached them. It had been so hard to get quality food since the princess had been caught getting into the Godiva Chocolates.  
  
He felt the click of the lock and opened to see the caviar. He nearly wept. Delicately jamming the small jars in the pockets of his dressing robe (Chinese silk, of course. Nothing less could touch his body. How gullible those girls were. "I didn't see the DNA for skin rashes!"), he searched the room warily for any sight to "land him back in the slammer". Such disgusting language was required for humorous moments such as these.  
  
This excitement was fantastic. The only thing compared to this sensation was when he had broken out that one time before and took a bath in the royal apartments. Ahhhh... being a prisoner at the palace wasn't so terrible as it looked.  
  
Suddenly, there was a movement at the door, and Taiki 01 swiftly turned, Carr's Table Water Crackers landing on his head, and stared into the deep purple eyes of himself. No, wait. The brat.   
  
Damn.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Running and jumping from rooftop to rooftop, Mars and Jupiter tried to explain as best they could.  
  
"About two months ago, we saw probably the most disturbing sight ever. Taiki taking a bath in Queen Serenity's bathing pool."  
  
Star Healer glanced at Star Maker, who blushed furiously.  
  
"So we asked Ami-chan about it... and she confessed to creating a Taiki clone." Maker looked extremely surprised. "Saying that she had wanted a good father figure to Ichigo, and that he was the perfect match."  
  
"What?! Who's Ichigo?"  
  
Mars' eyes glinted like steel when her face turned to him. "Of all the people in this universe, Taiki, you should know who he is."  
  
The tension thickened, and even Venus had an emotionless mask on her face when he looked at her for any hint. Healer rose an eyebrow at Maker.  
  
What? Is it true then...? Ami... why didn't you say anything? I knew something was wrong when you drifted away from me... I would have stayed for you. I would have stayed forever.  
  
"She sped up his growth process, so he was able to mature to a twenty year old man in only two weeks. But this Taiki wasn't the same person as she had hoped. He was cold and cruel... a Taiki of the mind, but not of the spirit." Mars snorted, evidently disagreeing with Jupiter's words. "She couldn't control him. So when he started to insult the king on his taste in clothing, there was nothing we could do. There was a huge chance of him becoming a rebel or enemy."  
  
"We had to keep him under constant surveillance, but somehow he keeps escaping."  
  
"Oh, they're petty things now," added Mars. "He's just toying with us. But he doesn't have the emotional restraint  
like others. Ami denies ever making more than one... but with the way she had acted before gaining some sense..."  
  
"What?" asked Maker, startled. Nobody answered.  
  
"But do you really think he's capable of pure evil?" asked Jupiter. "I mean, I think he's pretty harmless, even if he IS a nuisance."  
  
"I don't know," said Mars. "I really don't. I can't get a reading from him at all."  
  
"It's just fun for him," said Venus, stating her opinion. "I don't think he's harmless... but I don't think he's a threat, either. Who wouldn't want diversion when they're locked up for life?"  
  
"HE HAS AN ENTIRE ENTERTAINMENT CENTER!" shouted Jupiter. "Whatever's on my wish list HE gets!"  
  
"He's only been alive for three weeks. Don't you think that's saying something?" asked Venus. "He's like a twelve year old spoiled brat."  
  
"I can't wait until I get the chance to ring his neck," sneered Jupiter, her hands tightening into fists.  
  
"Serenity's taken a liking to him, oddly enough," said Mars. "I don't know... I guess we all miss them... uh..." She looked over to the two men, and blushed. "I mean... you guys. Really. You could have at least dropped us a line telling us how things were going."  
  
"We had no idea things could come this far."  
  
"Thank Serenity for all of this. I'm so glad I get to keep my beauty!"  
  
"Where ARE you keeping it, Rei-chan?"  
  
"Makoto!"  
  
Star Healer watched Minako through all of this, as the other two senshi bantered playfully. Though she had joined the conversation somewhat, the Starlight could sense her distance. Was being the leader really so hard? Or was something else wrong?  
  
A turn of the corner, and there it was. A shining palace of crystal, breathtakingly beautiful. The inner senshi were   
obviously used to it by now.  
  
Huge golden doors marked the entryway, and carved into them were smaller, more usable versions. Venus opened them, while the others rushed inside. Taking one swift look around the area, she walked through, the door quietly closing by itself. They now entered the palace of dreams and awakenings. 


	3. Devotion

Tension of the Past  
Part 3  
  
Note: Okay, so I realize now, that a majority of my matches are same sex (or multi-sex... if there is such a thing)... so of course there will be intimacy! I would be surprised if you're reading this and NOT open to homosexuality. So. If ya don't like two girls kissing and holding hands... then obviously this fic ain't for you.  
  
BUT! If you wanna keep on reading, please do so! When writing this, I felt such a warm feeling in my heart... and somehow I know how Naoko-sama must have felt when doing scenes like this. Try it sometime... it really is incredible. ~.^   
  
Note2: A "flick" is a soccer move. The full definition is "the ability of a player to use his foot to 'flick' the ball into space so that he may run onto the ball"... yes, I had to surf the web to find the term. Don't laugh!  
  
All right! Onto the story!  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Queen Kakyuu stared out the window, watching as her eternal friends faded away, no longer the size of even the stars. One small tear slipped down her face, and as she inhaled, a small sound escaped her mouth. Flittingly, she raised a hand to her face, touching her lips, and delicately wiping her tear away.  
  
"They'll never come back," she said, finally to the figure behind her, who sat on the bed, robed in near transparent silk.  
  
The slender black haired woman walked to her lover and wrapped her arms around Kakyuu's waist, burying her face in her shoulders. God, she smelled sweet.  
  
"Don't say that," Seiya murmured, her words muffled by Kakyuu's skin.  
  
The queen burst out laughing. "It tickles!" she cried, which only made it worse when Seiya, her lips still on her neck, said, "Well, then... that means I'll have to continue, huh?"  
  
Kakyuu pulled away, clutching her neck protectively, eyes laughing, and twirled around to face Seiya. Like a magnet, they came closer and twined fingers, eyes shining with sweet passion, and an image passed through Seiya's mind of Haruka and Michiru. Who would have ever thought she would miss them?  
  
"But it's true. They've been purposefully lowering their rank to leave..." Kakyuu murmured, coming back to her thoughts. "But they'll be surprised when they get there... Taiki had been hiding it from everyone, even herself... the calculations of the stars prove it. 900 years have passed on Earth since we were there."  
  
Seiya's breath caught, and her eyes widened. "But... Taiki said it had only been nine..."  
  
"It feels like that, doesn't it?" said Kakyuu. "What is a year, though? A rotation of a planet around its sun. We thrive on a self-sustaining planet, with no such star. We live in perpetual timelessness... Either Taiki misread her calculations... or she lied..."  
  
A world with eternal night and a land as bright as day. Incredible, Taiki what you made for us... but you created our planet this way to fuel your own illusions, didn't you? You didn't want to believe your friends had died... didn't want to feel the same rotation of our companions.  
  
"Even so," Seiya answered. "I don't believe our friends on Earth are gone forever. Yaten would have said something... would have told us if she felt them fade away."  
  
"Unless she was in denial, too?"  
  
"Let's trust them enough to live." Seiya looked into her beautiful eyes. "Sailor Moon has a way of surviving anything."  
  
"Sailor Moon..." Kakyuu lowered her head.  
  
You claimed my Seiya's heart at one time, beautiful soldier. I have yet to know if you have it still. She seems to love me... but when she looks at me, does she see your face?  
  
Sensing her thoughts, Seiya hooked a finger under the queen's chin, and brought their faces together.  
  
"There is only you," she whispered before their lips touched.  
  
As the kiss played on, Kakyuu's face heated, and turned several shades of royal red. That woman always had that power over her. She couldn't explain it. She felt so young and care-free... so innocent around Seiya...  
  
The kiss broke apart, and Kakyuu said, "I've been thinking about this for a while... maybe it's time to pay a visit to Earth. We've been needing a sister planet lately..."  
  
"You always get to the point, don't you?" laughed Seiya. Kakyuu's smile faded after a small silence.  
  
"No... but it's been on my mind lately..."  
  
"You deserve a break. Look what you have chosen to rule." Seiya turned Kakyuu to the window to look over the magnificent planet. "And yet, even you do not rule. The people govern themselves, they live off of life and energy. When I lived on Earth, it felt so... primitive. Gruesome. People living under false love, blinding their eyes to the truth. I blinded myself there, now that I think about it. How could I have ever chosen to stay on a planet like Earth, where people didn't even know themselves, if my love wasn't there?"  
  
Which was why Taiki left, thought Kakyuu, though she didn't voice it.  
  
"There were many bright stars on that planet," continued Seiya. "Others beside the Sailor Soldiers, who knew the truth, or were finding it. But why have only enough shining stars to fill a small land, when you could have a whole planet?"  
  
"I'm so glad you love New Kinmoku." Kakyuu embraced Seiya, closing her arms, loving the feel of flesh against flesh. She was so happy to know that this would never end. They were in a part of the universe that was pure. Not far away from the Solar System of Sailor Moon... but not very close either.  
  
"You're afraid..." whispered Seiya. Kakyuu realized she was trembling, and opened her eyes, tears filling her vision.  
  
"I remember another world," she murmured. "One full of love like this. One full of people just as awake as these people. And I remember the death, and destruction and pain of that world. How our lives were separated from what we had known before."  
  
"Well, then," said Seiya, quiet for a moment. "I have to tell you I don't like to leave either. Yaten and Taiki were nervous as well... but I think I have a solution."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"We'll take it with us."   
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"What are you doing here?" sneered the Taiki clone, facing his adversary. This young boy that brought such a quickening to his heart. Ichigo didn't answer, just stared at him, eyes narrowing slightly. He had to admit, the boy did have a strong will, and knew how to use it.  
  
Eyes locked onto each other, they moved around the room, Ichigo to the refridgerator, and Taiki to the Water Table crackers lying by the counter. Fridge door open... Soda pop can out. Foot under box. Soccer flick. Crackers in hand.  
  
With cold calcuation they stared at each other, then sat on each end of the counter. Taiki opened a jar of the caviar and spread it on the crackers, while Ichigo rolled the can on the counter, angrily.  
  
"You're not supposed to be out," the boy said, finally.  
  
"Yes, well... it's quite difficult to live in such a cramped area. The claustrophobia was getting out of hand." Ichigo snorted. "And anyway, why aren't you supposed to be... somewhere else?"  
  
Ichigo shrugged.   
  
"Did the princess have another one of her tantrums?" Ichigo's eyes widened questioningly. "I heard her screaming down the halls."  
  
"Yeah... Aunt Serenity's making the rounds." An eyebrow lifted on the older man's face. Ichigo scowled and said heatedly, "Don't even think about it. She knows everything, so don't do anything stupid. Uncle Endymion too. They're letting you slide because I'm with you."  
  
"Really now?"  
  
Ichigo-kun...what did we talk about before? About exploiting power? You know the queen isn't aware of everything that goes on.  
I know, Luna, I know... sorry, but I can't see why we just get rid of this guy...  
He's your father...!  
HE IS NOT MY FATHER. My father is DEAD. This man is a twisted freak who's so narcissistic, he thinks he's God's gift to the universe.  
  
"The disdain on your face makes you quite ugly."  
  
Ichigo shot out of his seat, bringing the pop can up in the air, and slammed it down on the table with a loud crack. Nothing happened, except for Taiki's eyes to widen ever so slightly, and Ichigo's breathing to quicken and his face to flush.  
  
"You're killing my mother!"  
  
Ichigo! Calm down! The shout in his mind made him wince slightly, but did not abate his anger.  
  
Taiki only blinked. "Me?" he said, clearly shocked. But this guy was a great actor. He could never be trusted.  
  
"She's in love with you! Can't you see that?! And all you do is kill her every second she's with you."  
  
I'm sending Hotaru.  
  
"Wrong," answered Taiki. "She's not in love with me. She's in love with the man that left her 900 years ago. A man who didn't care for her at all. I'm just an image of him. She created me to bring him back, which is impossible. She needs to realize that I couldn't care less about her... and neither does the 'original'."  
  
Ichigo shouted out in rage. A burst of fire, of confusion and hurt. He hated this... this gnat that buzzed in his ear every moment... this feeling of total helplessness. Ichigo was strong, young (if 904 was young), handsome, intelligent... but he was also scared and confused. As old as he was, he still acted the twelve year child he looked.  
  
There was a darkness in the man's face. A darkness of loathing and hatred, and a simmering rage that could easily be brought to a roaring boil in a moment.   
  
"You have no soul," hissed Ichigo. Taiki stared straight at him in him, and through him.  
  
How right you are, my boy. I can see that soul in my mind. The soul I should have had. That kindness... but I don't have it. It belongs to another. I am just a puppet, made from desperation. Have you ever stayed up nights thinking about that? How you wouldn't be alive today, if it wasn't for your creator's snap of sanity? She is my mother... and wants to be my lover... I can't love her. I don't know how.  
  
Ichigo took his soda can and started to shake it furiously, not breaking his eye contact. After a few seconds, he raised the soda can to near eye level, peering over the rim at his supposed father, and tipped the can toward the man, thinking about popping the lid when-  
  
"ICHIGO-KUN!" Hotaru screamed from the doorway.  
  
Startled, Ichigo's fingers DID, in fact, pop the can, the condensed sugar water spraying all over the Taiki clone and his quality caviar.  
  
"Umm..." Ichigo blinked at the sticky, soaked, shocked man, and then looked over to Hotaru, who just stared, eyes wide and horrified. Ichigo laughed nervously, grabbed Hotaru by the shoulders, and ran out of the kitchen.  
  
"YOU LITTLE BRAT! I WILL KILL YOU!"  
  
The man ran after the two children, Ichigo hooting and laughing, tears streaming down his face as his sides started to cramp. Hotaru was trying her best not to giggle, and her face was contorting to look as if she had just eaten an entire lemon, her jaw muscles seared in pain as the sounds of monkeys escaping their captivity left her mouth.   
  
And Taiki01? Well, the oddest thing was happening... because he was smiling... and his heart seemed to slightly float... and a chuckle left his mouth at the thought of this ridiculous situation. Both Hotaru and Ichigo knew that there was no menace to him now.  
  
It felt so good, this strange sensation! Was this how it felt to be giddy? To feel something other than fury and anger?  
  
But it all stopped when Ichigo ran straight into a foreign, solid, yet pliable body. Bouncing back into the clone of father, ricocheting off of HIM, his eyes closed from laughing so hard, and landed on the floor. Clutching his stomach, he dropped his head, and managed out a shaky, "Sorry" before the image of Taiki's face, dripping in cherry soda entered his head, and the laughter started all over again.  
  
But his laughter abruptly stopped when he realized the silence in the room... and confused, he opened his eyes to stare straight at Taiki.  
  
A Taiki with hair swept back from his face, and different clothes, and a calmer aura... and... and... not...  
  
The connection between the man and the boy abruptly ended when a small, barely audible gasp ended the silence. Everyone turned to see Ami, Princess Mercury, at the far end of the room, a long blue flowing gown covering her thin form, her hands covering her mouth.  
  
"Ami..." The original Taiki's voice echoed throughout the room... and he started towards her, first slowly, then nearly running when he saw the shakiness of her steps.  
  
He got there just before she lost consciousness.  
  
And as her friends and family ran to her, Taiki stayed behind. The boy looked up at the clone, trying to penetrate the mask Taiki01 wore, but unable to. And Taiki01 just stared at the flock of people... knowing he was left out, would always be left out.  
  
The small flare of hope inside him quickly died, reduced to a pile of ash cooling on the stone of his heart. They would all forget them now. Well, let him. Only the thoughts of freedom filled him mind now. That was what fueled him. Freedom from this wretched palace, and these people... and this aching heart that longed to know the meaning of love. 


	4. Return

Tension of the Past  
Part 4  
  
Notes: If you're embarrassed by sex, you better not read the flashback scenes. There's nothing graphic, but there's enough. I'm not exactly condoning (supporting) teenage sex, but if things were going to happen properly, chronologically and logically... they would have done "it" when they were 16. Ahem. The thing that gets me about sex isn't the act. It's the act without love.  
  
Consider this an act of love, and you'll have no problem.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
The darkness fades from my eyes... and there is light... finally after so long... peace shall lie in our hearts as it has in the land... only until every heart is carefully loved will evil be truly destroyed.  
  
Minako... Venus-san... don't brush aside the love that is given to you this time... the world has never depended on you more than now.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
The mist parted before her power as Serenity walked to the Gate of Time to meet her guardian. It had only been a month or a moment... she could never tell anymore... time existed only if the people lived by it... and Serenity did not usually let the setting of the sun control her life.  
  
The air beneath her feet solidified into form, and she knew that Sailor Pluto was only a moment away.  
  
The mist quickly receded as the two women met eyes, and the guardian of time deeply bowed to the queen.  
  
"Pluto-san... please get up..." Serenity was still uncomfortable with her friends bowing to her, even after all these years. There was this sense of intimacy that was completely lost when you were put on a pedestal... and she hated it.  
  
"Yes, your Majesty..." Pluto smiled knowingly. "I'm glad you came to see me. A lot has been going on."  
  
Serenity frowned. "Yes... I was hoping you could help me."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"I'm worried that our peace will begin to fade."  
  
"The peace of Earth? Or of our own private planet?"  
  
Serenity moved closer to Pluto. "Of everything. There's this feeling inside me that won't go away. Mercury, Venus... everybody. They seem so... restless. And I almost know what it is, but I can't do anything to help. I can't seem to help anyone anymore. I'm this distant star who is too far away to touch."   
  
The queen placed her delicate hand over Pluto's, and the soldier flinched slightly, fueling Serenity's sadness.   
  
"Sometimes I miss the way it was before Crystal Tokyo began, before I became queen. When I was one of them, and not just protected by them. They are my friends, but also my guardians, when before we were fellow senshi."  
  
"Sometimes a queen must make sacrifices to save her kingdom. Even if it is her own private life."  
  
"I disagree," answered Serenity. "If my life is not happy, if I can't help those I love, how can I rule an entire people justly?"  
  
"It seems you have the answers you need already," said Pluto. "Why did you come here?"  
  
"I don't know." Serenity laughed slightly. "You're the only one I can come to at all. Endymion won't be back until tomorrow, and everyone was gone when I left the royal chambers."  
  
"You need something," said Pluto. Finally, she held Serenity's hand. "I don't know if I can give it to you."  
  
"I need... reassurance. You've always been there to guide me and keep me strong."  
  
"Then maybe it's time to learn to live without them. Your Majesty, I can't tell you what to do, and neither can the rest of the senshi. You must decide what to do with your power. We have always gained strength by being in numbers, but what makes the group is also the individual." Serenity lowered her gaze slightly, taking in Pluto's words. "It is a time of peace. Earth is finally safe forever because of you. Because of all of us. The time of outward evil is over... Your purity has guided us to who we are meant to be. People sometimes lose their way. It's not your fault. There is a lesson they must learn. You have found your happiness. Now it is their turn. They need to find what is holding them back from their true form and change. Help is always fine, but it is up to them to decide what to do."  
  
"You're right," said Serenity. "Thank you."  
  
They both smiled, and a sweet silence filled the realm.  
  
A sun harboring a billion lives speeds to this Earth, a force magnified to ours, bound by strings that no one can see. The lives of the senshi will end when we invite them to our home.  
  
Serenity's eyes widened, her heart pounding in her chest. Taking a sharp intake of air, she clung to Pluto as the force of a thousand words drove through her body.  
  
"My queen!"  
  
"...I'm fine..." she whispered, and grounded herself. "I must return to the palace."  
  
"Don't be afraid," murmured Pluto. "The future is never certain." Serenity only shook her head, and raced back her home.  
  
The lives of the senshi will end when we invite them to our home...  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"Aaaaamiii-chan."  
  
"Eh? What is it Minako-chan?"  
  
"Guess what I have?"  
  
Ami looked up from her book to see a pair of keys dangling in her face. "What's this?"  
  
"The keys to the apartment of Three Lights!" she cried out in pride. There was a sudden hush in the classroom as all the girls (and some guys) stopped eating lunch to hone in on those keys. Flushing at her foolishness, she closed her eyes, digging through her mind to find her little folder of escape plans, and picked one out. "Did I say the keys to the apartment of Three Lights? Silly me! I mean the Three Lights key chains to MY apartment! See? There's my little Yaten chain, and my Seiya chain..."  
  
The class lost interest soon enough, long ago realizing Aino Minako was a nut, and let her go. Ami, on the other hand touched the keys with gold, knowing Minako's truth.   
  
"Sugoi..." she whispered. Minako quickly lifted them from her reach, kicked a kid out of his desk, launched into it, and rammed it next to Ami's so they sat cheek to cheek. "Why are you showing me this?"  
  
"Because, silly! You're coming with me tonight to clean their house."  
  
"Did you get their permission?"  
  
Minako glared at her and ignored her question, filling in with, "Anybody appreciates a good house cleaning. Come on!"  
  
"Where did you get these?"  
  
"Remember way back when? When I was their assistant for like two days?"  
  
"Wasn't that just last month?"  
  
"Whatever. Anyways, they never asked me for their keys back. Well, no wait, they did. But I accidentally gave them the keys to my house."  
  
"So that's why you've been staying with Makoto-chan all this time!"  
  
"Shush! What am I supposed to do if my parents are staying in France for three weeks? You can't pass up an opportunity like this, Ami-chan! They've been out of school because they have a gig in Osaka, and they're finally coming back home tonight! Don't you think it would be the nice thing to do to clean their house up as a 'welcome home' gift?"  
  
Ami was stunned, flattered, anxious, wary and excited at the same time. It wasn't often Minako asked her to join her on one of her adventures, and Ami had a sneaky suspicion it wasn't because she was fun. She was gullible, easy to run over. But when one is asked to join somebody in romping around an idol band's apartment, one says yes. "It WOULD be wonderful. But why are you asking me?"   
  
"Should I have a reason?"  
  
"You ALWAYS have a reason, Minako-chan."  
  
"Well, you know Rei-chan'll just sit around and do nothing, and Mako-chan'll probably just start cooking for them. Usagi-chan will only raid their fridge. The way I see it, we're the only ones who can apply ourselves."  
  
Ami sighed, only half agreeing with her. "Tonight?"  
  
"After school."  
  
"O-okay," she said hesitantly, and Minako smiled, giving her a peace sign.  
  
"Hey, what's the worry? We'll be in and out before they get back home."  
  
If Ami had ever believed her, she had no idea how wrong Minako was.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
The first thing Ami saw when she woke up were his eyes. Those beautiful eyes she had longingly gazed into in her dreams, and now they were here, warm and shining, full of worry and yet relief, unlike the cold and distant copies she had tried so hard to love.  
  
"Taiki," she murmured.  
  
"I'm here," he answered.   
  
She tried to look around, but everything was out of focus. When she had stopped seeing double, Ami sat up, the blood in her body jerking into activity, and the dizziness returned to her. His hand rested against her back, and she leaned into it for support.  
  
"Careful," his soothing voice calmed her nerves, and slowly she became more accustomed to her surroundings.  
  
"I'm fine, really."  
  
Six new heads popped into her vision, and voices bombarded the silence.  
  
"Mom! Are you okay? What happened-?"  
  
"Don't ever do that again-"  
  
"You scared me to death-"  
  
"I can't believe it-"  
  
"You're lucky you didn't hit the ground-"  
  
"Are you sure-"  
  
"I'M FINE!"  
  
The noise quickly stopped, and Ami cleared her throat. "Really. Everything's okay."  
  
She got off the floor of the Grand Hallway, dusted herself off, and sighed.  
  
"How long was I-"  
  
"Only a minute," said Makoto. Rei nodded next to her. Ami sighed in relief.  
  
The sound of echoing footsteps filled the room, and everybody turned to see the Taiki clone running from the scene. Makoto and Minako looked at each other, excused themselves politely, and ran down the hall after him, their small murmurs of calling upon the powers of the senshi wafting to the ears of the group.  
  
"Venus Love Me CHAIN!"  
  
There was a loud thud, an even louder curse, and the click of heels stopped.  
  
"You never stop do you?" Jupiter's voice bounced off the walls.  
  
The voice answered in a low and heated voice, the reverberations distorting the sound beyond comprehension.  
  
"Wonderful, just keep it up, buddy, and you might never see the light of day again."  
  
As the two senshi dragged the defeated foe away, the situation turned back to the former predicament. Ami and Taiki looked at each other, coughed a little, and coughed a little more before Rei said, "Wow, look at the time. Hotaru-chan, let's show our guest around the palace."  
  
"What? Oh, sure. Yaten-san, you'd love the gardens..."  
  
"Really..." Yaten said vaguely, seeming more intent on looking from Taiki to Ami to Ichigo, who each blushed in embarrassment at the curious set of eyes.   
  
"Yaten-san?" Hotaru coughed, but Yaten didn't lose his concentration.  
  
"We have some serious talking to do," he muttered before leaving with Rei and Hotaru down the hall, not without a few looks back, and a few exasperated and amazed murmurs of, "What the hell has been going on?"  
  
There was a long awkward silence as Ichigo looked up at his father. His REAL father. His father he had never met. Along with the wonder and the shock, there was the anger and the hurt. He didn't want to destroy his mother's healing heart all over again, so the only thing he could was walk away.  
  
"I'll be going now too..." said Ichigo once everybody left. "I should check up on Chibi-Usa."  
  
"Chibi-Usa?" asked Taiki.  
  
"Ichigo-" began Ami, but her son waved her off.  
  
"I'll leave you two alone," he said, and forced a smile, but Taiki saw the confusion in the boy's eyes. "It's been a while, anyway."  
  
"Ichigo-" started Taiki, the name rolling off his tongue like a flavor yet to be deemed sweet or salty.   
  
"I'm fine. Later. I promise. But I shouldn't have left her alone."  
  
Before the tension was too much, Ichigo ran away, his hand instinctively covering his heart.  
  
The two were alone now... but with all the questions racing through their heads, neither one of them could open their mouths. Ami turned away slightly, but Taiki grabbed her hand.  
  
"You never told me."  
  
"I couldn't have."  
  
"Why?" It was a whisper. A whisper of pain and anguish and doubt. "Was it me? I should have told you the truth from the beginning, I should have-"  
  
She spun around, and stared into his eyes.  
  
"No." she said forcefully. "No... never. You did nothing wrong... but how could I make you leave your princess? I know what it is like to be away from the one you are supposed to love and protect. It's like losing a part of yourself."  
  
Taiki's eyes closed at the truth. But you are also one of those people, Ami...  
  
"I wasn't even sure that what we had done together created a new life..." There was a small pause. "I had thought for so many nights, 'He'll come back, I know he will'... but it had been so long, Taiki, and I lost hope. I thought... I don't know what I thought... I lost my soul for only a short while... but in that brief time... I can't forgive myself for what I've done!"  
  
Suddenly, a wildness appeared in her eyes, a look of pure uncontrollable confusion and power and pain that startled Taiki as nothing had before. The sound in his ears filtered out, honing in on one sound, a heart beat, raising in speed. Faster and faster as the blood rushed through, and adrenaline swept through her veins, fueling her self-loathing.  
  
"Ami..."  
  
Taiki grabbed her by the shoulders, pulling her to her chest, bending over enough for their hearts to touch. And as her heartbeat slowly went down, his raised, until finally, they shared the same pulse, a throbbing that pounded against the rib cage with a force that could not be shared. He felt her fear of losing herself in loneliness and pain, as she felt his fear of losing her from the same things.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"You tricked me!" cried Ami as they paced the apartment. "It's spotless! Of course they have a cleaner to do it for them. I can't believe you!"  
  
"Come on, Ami-chan. I knew you couldn't say no to something that was 'moral'. Just forget about it and help me find something to blackmail them into going out with me."  
  
"No!"  
  
She shrugged, and then grinned devilishly. "Suit yourself. But I'll be elbow deep in Taiki's underwear drawer."  
  
Ami began to turn a beet red, and started to sputter. "You will NOT."  
  
"Then do it yourself! We can double date! How about that? I've never been on a double date before... I mean with FOUR people instead of three..."  
  
"I'm leaving."  
  
"No!" She clasped Ami's hands in her own and began to tear up. "I don't want to be alone!"  
  
"What is wrong with you, Minako-chan? Shouldn't you be trying to have all Three Lights head over heels in love with you?"  
  
"I tried that once, remember? It didn't work. I'll take them one at a time. But for now, you can have Taiki until he comes to his senses."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Hey, now! You know me! I never try to break apart love, no matter what! And I see the way you look at each other... eh eh? Am I right? You know I'm right." Ami blushed furiously. "So you get into his room right now and find some incriminating evidence!"  
  
Ami found herself being shoved into the hallway, and sighed as Minako skipped past her into the bathroom. "Eeek!! Ami-chan!!" She came bounding back out of the bathroom flailing a green toothbrush in the air. "An Ernie toothbrush!! Ernie! Not Bert! Oh, Seiya, you darling, darling man. You really know how to reach a girl's heart."   
  
She squealed and closed her eyes, clutching the toothbrush to her chest, and Ami rushed into Taiki's room and slammed the door closed. If there was one piece of advice Ami could give to another so they could keep their sanity it was never ever ever let Minako into your bathroom.  
  
Sighing, she shook her head and surveyed the area. Impeccable. Everything was completely orderly, nothing out place, and Ami had a sneaking suspicion it wasn't just the cleaning lady. The room was warmly lit, and the colors used were deep and earthy, very subtle, very quiet. She felt safe in this room, even looking out of the window at the skyline, knowing that somewhere out there the enemy was waiting.   
  
"SAILOR V BOXERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" came the scream from Yaten's room. Ami knew for a fact Yaten dug his own grave by owning those. Poor guy, he was done for.  
  
Quietly, almost guiltily, she walked around the bed, her fingers brushing the expensive comforter, and headed to the book shelf. There weren't any trinkets or pictures on the shelves to give it character, but Ami could feel his energy through the books that he chose. Shakespeare, Homer, Virgil. Classics were the only things worthy to be placed on Taiki's shelf, but she couldn't help but notice a shoujo manga tucked between The Tale of Genji and Pride and Prejudice. Her heart did a little dance when she found it was HER own favorite manga.  
  
So You're Becoming a Man was the title that caught her the most. Ami giggled and took the book off the shelf, gingerly opening it to the front page where a small inscription lay open and vulnerable.  
  
I thought this might be useful. God knows you need it. Yaten.  
  
Ami pouted slightly and shook her head in sadness. Those two could really be harsh on him. They didn't understand what it was like to be different, to be at such an intelligence...   
  
"To be lonely." Her fingers instantly came to her mouth, surprised the words had come out, and she closed the book, placing it on the shelf and grabbed a hold of an old antique collection of fairy tales. This had been what she was looking for. Dreams. Fantasy. Beauty. Love. Everything that Taiki denied was in this well-worn, fraying book.  
  
There was some hope for him after all. Carefully she brought the book to her face and inhaled. She loved the smell of old books. She didn't know what it was that made the scent so appealing, but she knew life couldn't be good without it.  
  
She opened the book, when suddenly a small slip of paper fell from it and floated to the ground. She knelt down and picked it up, her eyes absently scanning over it until she realized it was a poem. A poem that Taiki wrote. Her eyes moved back to the beginning and read slowly, eating his words, committing them to memory, the carefully crafted phrases nestling into her heart to rest forever.  
  
Suddenly, she felt a brush of warm breath against her neck, and she straightened up suddenly, her worst fear coming closer to reality than she wanted.  
  
"Enjoying yourself?" The voice was low, monotone, warm and yet ice cold. She swiveled around to stare straight into Taiki's chest, so close, and she looked up into his face, into those purple eyes, so close, closer than they had ever been before. It was in that moment she fell in love with them, and before he blinked, she could almost make out tiny galaxies in the amethyst depths.  
  
Her mouth dropped, and Taiki took the book before she could let it go. Where had all the time gone?  
  
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY ROOM?!!!!!!" was the scream that came from Yaten's door.  
  
They were caught. They were dead. They were out. Well, Minako was anyway, and Ami could hear her pleas as the girl was pushed out of the apartment. Suddenly, Yaten slammed the door open into Taiki's room, his face red with fury.  
  
"She stole my Sailor V boxers!" he fumed. "I couldn't pry them out of her hands."  
  
"Dude! She took my toothbrush!" wailed Seiya as he flounced after Yaten and flopped onto Taiki's bed. "What did she take of yours?"  
  
"I think the question would be 'what did she leave behind?'"  
  
They both blinked and stared at the beet red Ami. "I THOUGHT I saw an extra pair of shoes at the entrance."  
  
"Mizuno-san?" Seiya blinked and sat up.  
  
She wanted the earth to swallow her up at that moment. Damn Minako... this was all her fault, and Ami would be the one to get the worst of it. A small mewl escaped her and she tried to flee, but Taiki's arm stopped her from going.  
  
"Aino-san dragged you along, didn't she?"  
  
"Aa..." She ducked her head, blushing even harder, her face in a painful grimace.  
  
Seiya began to laugh. "Aino-san tries WAY too hard."  
  
"This isn't anything to laugh about!!" cried Yaten. "She's walking home with my underwear!"  
  
"I TOLD you not to buy them! I TOLD you! But NOOO... you insisted that Sailor V Co. used the best cotton."  
  
"They DO!" Seiya began a giggle fit as Yaten glared at him. "Well, at least she grabbed that awful toothbrush, too."  
  
"What's wrong with my Ernie toothbrush?"  
  
"It's for a five year old!"  
  
"I have small teeth!"  
  
"Well, anyway it's gone, and that's all that matters."  
  
"Now I can use the Grover one I bought the other day."  
  
Yaten groaned as Seiya smirked. Only Taiki was silent, as he watched Ami's inner torture carefully, wondering what to do with her, whether to comfort her, or drive her away. Oh, it would be so easy to drive her away, he was furious at her for invading his privacy, for dipping her hands into his tainted soul, his body ached to get her out of sight... and yet... something told him not to...  
  
"It's getting late," Taiki said. He turned to look at Seiya who only shrugged and yawned, but stopped as he noticed the narrowing of his tall friend's purple eyes. Sensing something was up, he looked back and forth from both geniuses before a wide grin filled his face.  
  
"Oh, riiiight! Gotcha!" He winked. "Oh, man! Look at the time! Let's go, Yaten."  
  
"Eh?" Yaten watched as Taiki put his hand on Ami's arm protectively. "You've got to be kidding me."  
  
"Let's not get all worked up this late at night, okay? You never fall asleep, and I don't want to have to make you milk and honey again."  
  
"Shut. Up," Yaten said through clenched teeth.  
  
"Then let's get out of here," Seiya answered. "I don't think I like Taiki too much with all that sexual tension eminating from him."  
  
"OUT," said Taiki fiercely, and the two boys jumped up and ran out of the room, closing the door behind them. Ami wilted even more when they heard their laughter bounce off the walls.  
  
"Don't listen to them," he murmured. "We've had a long day. I'll admit it was a shock to see you in my room going through my personal things."  
  
"Gomen nasai," Ami sobbed quietly, and tried to flee, but Taiki held onto her arm. She whimpered when she realized she was pinned between his body and the bookshelf.  
  
"What did you think of it?" he asked, gesturing to the poem she clutched in her hand. She stopped her struggle to stare up at him, eyes wide, face white with fear. "That bad?"  
  
"No!" she cried vehemently, some courage coming back to her. "It was the most beautiful thing I've ever read."  
  
Loneliness, despair, so small... these are the things we have in common, you and I. How intelligent we both are, how many doors are opened because of our test scores, but at this height we can only stare out the window at the people below and yearn for that freedom. Our minds are our cages, and yet you can fly away on your dreams, and I am captive here in my own reality.  
  
"Do you really think so?" The question was eager, curious, and his eyes were searching for something, something she couldn't comprehend. But she knew one thing: she was safe. She had nothing to fear.  
  
"I really do think so," she whispered. "Is this what you feel?" He didn't answer her as she searched his face, and she took it as a yes. "So sad..." she pressed a palm to his cheek, and he exhaled tremblingly, leaning into her touch as the tears spilled out.  
  
There were no words after their lips touched, nothing could describe what their hearts felt. Only an explosive emotional release as he held her to him, keeping her tight, afraid to let her go, afraid she would try to run even after her arms were wrapped tightly around his neck.  
  
They had never experienced anything like this before. Especially Taiki. A guardian didn't have time for romance, to steal kisses from an infatuation before rushing off to slaughter an enemy. His time was taken up by his princess... And yet now, time made way for Ami.  
  
Neither of them intended to go as far as they went. Both were more than content to spend the passing minutes just holding each other, but somewhere in between a moment and an hour later, a glitch in reason occurred. They were only faintly aware of a bed materializing beneath them, of clothing slowly dissolving, of bodies melding together, of minds fusing, and souls mingling. It was quiet and sweet and clumsy, but it was healing and right. So very very right.  
  
It wouldn't be until the next day that Taiki would remember he was actually a woman and realize he had just made love to a girl who thought he was actually a man. And it would be all too soon before Ami would realize the same thing, and even sooner when she would realize their one and only act of love had created a life.  
  
He distanced himself from her at first with the happy excuse that there was no time to be together with defeating the enemy, concerts, school, and the bombardment of questions and hints from friends. They distanced themselves even more when their true selves were revealed, when they stared at each other in shock while the words I should have known... I should have recognized that energy played in their minds. There was guilt, shame, and a slight sense of wonder. Confused, Ami kept the child inside her a secret, ignoring his quiet cries of explanation... but through it all, she never stopped loving him, nor did he stop loving her.   
  
And they distanced themselves seemingly indefinitely when he left. Ami plastered on a smile as her heart died inside, as she watched him... no, her... fly away. All she wanted was to race after her to scream out I love you! Come back! Please! I'm going to have a baby! I'm going to lose you forever, you'll never know your child... you'll never know that I ached for you every single night... that I DO care for you. It wasn't a mistake! I don't care if you're a woman or a man, you're Taiki... you're my child's father... no matter what...  
  
Those words festered in her heart for nine hundred years, as she watched her son grow older, wiser, sweeter, more and more Taiki with each passing day. And then, one day, something inside her just broke, so easily... a voice whispering in her ear, and all she knew was she had to make Taiki come back to her, even if it was making him completely.   
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"Don't leave me, Ami," he whispered. "Please. I'll never be away from you again. I love you."  
  
A small sob escaped her, and slowly he straightened his back, so her head rested on his chest. She buried her face in his shirt, and he closed his eyes as her breath heated his skin.  
  
The hallway was still and silent except for the woman's crying. The couple did not move an inch for fear this was a dream, that any disturbance would awaken them. But finally, the Mercury princess sighed heavily, and brushed her hands against his hair. They parted slightly, but not too much, and looked at each other. Two glorious smiles brightened the room, and Taiki had to keep from laughing in joy.  
  
"There you are," he said, and their lips touched sweetly, the smooth pink skin pressed against each other assuring that it was so very real. The kiss ended, and Ami placed her hands on his face.  
  
"Should we meet them in the garden?"  
  
Ami nodded, and they walked slowly down the hallway, arms around each other, and hips touching.  
  
My friends, Minako, Rei, Makoto... you've given up on love because you feel there's only one to devote your life to. You've been fine for so long, but I watch how you look at Serenity and Endymion, how you stare at Ichigo and think of me... I need love in my life. I WANT it. And I know you do too... our lives have always been about sacrifice... I don't want to be a part of that anymore. I choose to serve my queen in the best way I can. With living my own life in love. 


	5. Presence

Tension of the Past  
Part 5  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
She was so beautiful the last time I saw her... I can't deny that I loved her. She was so radiant and lovely. The brightest star I had ever seen besides our own princess. I lost hope. We all lost hope. But I'm not like Star Healer or Star Maker. I can't bask in the glow of pain, like Yaten. I can't hide it or ignore it like Taiki. I break under it. I knew the only way to stay alive, to keep from drowning in my sorrow, was to be around some one who could take away that pain, or to let me forget about it. I fell in love. I won't say I didn't want to. Because I did. Oh, God how I loved loving her. But in the end, where would I be? Back in the pain... in even more pain because she couldn't return my affection. How could I forget my princess that was waiting for me? How could I forget that she out-shown even Sailor Moon? Was I really that desperate to end the sadness?  
  
And yet, when ever I think of her...  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Ichigo quietly opened the door to the princess' room, peeking through the crack to see her sitting on the bed and playing with Diana. He sighed and opened the door all the way, watching with dread as the pink head quickly swiveled and locked into his direction.  
  
"Glad to see you're awake," he said, and sat next to her on the bed. Diana quickly leaped onto his lap, mewing a hello, and Ichigo started to scratch her ears, trying not to look in the direction of the princess.  
  
"You left me all alone!" cried Chibi-Usa. "I can't believe you did that! Something could have happened, and you're supposed to take care of me."  
  
"Ah, come on," he said, not taking his eyes away from the blissful kitten. "It was only for a little while. And weren't you the one who was screaming about having to be supervised?"  
  
"I was in a bad mood! Mom never told me she was going to see Pluto."  
  
"Aunt Serenity doesn't need to justify everything she does. Princesses can't have tantrums. There's no way you'll grow up with that attitude."  
  
"What about you, huh? I don't see you aging. And anyway, I AM growing! You even noticed yesterday, and said I was starting to look like a 'real lady'."  
  
"But that was before you stuffed yourself with food." Chibi-Usa glared at him, and Ichigo moved his attention from Diana. "Fine, fine. I'm sorry. But you were getting into one of those fits."  
  
"A fit?! You were the one that kept wanting to wander off and look at Hotaru more than be with me. Maybe if you just told her how you felt, you would grow up."  
  
Ichigo glared at her. "What about you, huh?"  
  
Chibi-Usa smiled, and sighed, a far-away look coming into her eyes. "I already have my Elios... it won't be long until he'll see me again, and I'll a true lady."  
  
The smile turned to a grin, and Ichigo rolled his eyes. Chibi-Usa looked at him and smirked.  
  
"Well maybe if you did something more than just gazing into her eyes, and sighing at every move she makes..." she batted her eye-lashes and clasped her hands to her chest. Ichigo groaned, and suddenly an idea came to Chibi-Usa.  
  
"I know!" she cried, and leaped to her feet from her place next to him on the bed.  
  
"Here it comes..."  
  
"I'll tell her for you!"  
  
Ichigo's mouth fell open. "WHAT?! NO!"  
  
"Of course! It's the only way!" she said. "If you won't tell her, I'll do it."   
  
And with that Chibi-Usa, bounded out of the room cheerfully, Diana scampering after her.  
  
"WAIT! COME BACK!"  
  
"Hotaruuuuuuu? Where are youuuuuuu?"  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"In. Now."  
  
Taiki01 walked into the dungeon (one that could be compared with the royal chambers), and Jupiter slammed the cell door into place, locked it, fused the lock with electrical heat, melted the key on the floor, watching the bubbling liquid cool on the marble with satisfaction, and then set to work on fusing the dungeon cell bars with the walls, floor and ceiling.  
  
"Going a bit overboard, aren't you?" asked Venus.  
  
"It's the only way. I can't stand it any longer. You've probably been out more than that one time too." She narrowed her eyes at the clone. Taiki only smirked.  
  
"Why is he here anyway?"  
  
"Let's face it. Jails are collecting dust. What better way to protect the queen then have the monster-"  
  
"-I resent that-"  
  
"-Here to be looked after by Sailor Senshi?" Jupiter's face scowled. "But what good is THAT doing?! This is insanity, I swear to God. This is not what a veteran senshi is supposed to be doing! This is a game! These petty acts of crime are making... me... INSANE!!!"  
  
"Whoa. Whoa whoa whoa. Let's calm down now. Breathe in, breathe out. One more time... good... breathe IN Jupiter! IN! ... There we go. Feel better?"  
  
"...hai," she grumbled. "Let's get out of here."  
  
"Until next time!"  
  
"Why, you little-"  
  
"Oooh," he taunted. "I'm sooo scared."  
  
Jupiter rushed to the bars, but Venus grabbed her arm and shook her head. The brunette flushed angrily, and then cursing, she turned her back to the prisoner. The two senshi left, leaving the prisoner alone to deal with his inner thoughts.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"It's beautiful." Yaten, Hotaru and Rei stood in the middle of the Crystal Garden, a small area of a public park that lead into the palace grounds. Roses of all colors were lovingly tended among the seemingly random crystals that grew beside the plants. The sun danced off their shining edges, sending out small rainbows to lie on the petals of the flowers.  
  
"Do you have gardens like this on New Kinmoku?" asked Hotaru.  
  
"Our planet is very different... We modeled it after both Earth and Kinmoku," said Yaten, and smiled. "We aren't attached to a sun, so the planet's light source is from the land itself. Plants grow from the light that is in the ground... but the sky is always night.   
  
"The planet free floats, but we have mobility and defense if any... disaster comes. Luckily, nothing like that has ever happened. We reside in a Divinely Protected area that has been safe for over three thousand millennia, but somehow, we feel we should be prepared."  
  
"Wow," said Rei. "We've only been protected since The Black Moon family disaster ended."  
  
"It's a funny thing, this protection, isn't it?" said Hotaru. "It all depends on the people whether or not to be a part of it." She cupped a flower in her hand, bending it so the rainbow was surrounded by shadow. "Light will always over power dark. If enough people want the light, and are in it, it overrides the darkness' 'authority', as if there was such a thing. It was only until this last disaster that the people realized the fate of the Earth was in their hands as well."  
  
No aliens may come into Earth without our permission now... but the problems of the people must be solved by ourselves.   
  
"Yaten-kun!" They all turned to see a black blob racing towards them.  
  
"Luna!" The cat, finding that using the pathway was too slow, bounded through the flowers and crystals and grass, and stopped at his feet, where Yaten picked her up, and hugged her. "It's good to see you again."  
  
"It seems like forever," she sighed, and then twisted her body so she faced him. "Where have you been?"  
  
"A very long story, one that I don't even really understand," he answered. "But where Taiki and I live there's no reference to time, except star calculations and even then..."  
  
"They thought it had only been nine years," said Rei. Luna nodded.  
  
"It's still a long time though."  
  
Yaten could only shrug. "Where's Artemis? Isn't he usually hanging around you? I didn't see him with Minako."  
  
"Ah..." Luna sighed. "He's traveling with King Endymion overseas... they should be here tomorrow though. If only you had notified us, we would have been able to make arrangements."  
  
"We've... been a little isolated," said Yaten.  
  
"Hotaruuuuuu-chan! There you are! I've been looking all over for you!"  
  
Yaten's gaze turned to a small girl running down the path, her pink hair pulled back in a similar version of Sailor Moon's odangos, only more like rabbit ears. Behind her ran a small gray kitten, and when Luna saw her, she jumped off her perch on Yaten's shoulder. Behind them ran the boy, his face in a scowl of dread, fear, anger, and calculation.  
  
An expression that reminded Yaten so much of Taiki. It was one of those obvious things where hints and just plain blunt comments could be pieced together by less than intelligent creatures, but it was still just as shocking. Taiki had a son. Ami had Taiki's son. Ami had Taiki's son. And a son.  
  
"Ichigo has something-"  
  
"Small Lady!" The small girl abruptly closed her mouth, and looked at the disapproving Luna. "We have a guest. How do you greet strangers?"  
  
Chibi-Usa blinked, and looked at the intense Yaten with curiosity. There was a small, delicate, yet chastising growl, and Chibi-Usa quickly bowed, and said, "Hello, I am Princess Usagi Small Lady Serenity. Welcome to the palace."  
  
"Very good," nodded Luna   
  
The silver haired figure bowed deeply. "Yaten Kou, Sailor Star Healer from New Kinmoku. It is a pleasure to meet you."  
  
"Yaten Kou?" asked Chibi-Usa, her eyes widening. There was a similar reaction from the boy. "Really?! Wow! Mom's talked so much about the times when she fought with you as Sailor Moon."  
  
Yaten blinked. "So um... Princess Usagi Small Lady Serenity's the daughter of-"  
  
"Chibi-Usa," she said. "It's much easier. I'm Neo-Queen Serenity's daughter."  
  
Yaten could only nod.  
  
"Sailor Moon's full form is Neo-Queen Serenity. She is married to King Endymion," explained Luna.  
  
"King Endymion?"  
  
"You would know him as 'Mamo-chan'," said Rei. Yaten blinked.  
  
"Oh! Of course."  
  
"You get used to it," continued Rei.  
  
Yaten looked at Ichigo who bowed politely once the stage was set for him.  
  
"I am Prince Ichigo of Mercury, son of Sailor Mercury. It is an honor for you to visit us."  
  
Yaten bowed as well. They searched each other's souls for a brief moment, each getting nothing.  
  
He's carefully guarded, thought Yaten. He has the gift. I had always wondered what a child of Taiki would be like... Will I be here long enough to find out?  
  
"So how do you like Earth so far?" asked Ichigo.  
  
"It's a lot different than I remembered, but there are some things that bring back memories."  
  
"Really?" asked the boy. "Like what?"  
  
"I saw the Crown when we arrived. I can't believe how much it has changed."  
  
Rei nodded, and Yaten began to weave his spell on Ichigo, a spell he had used countless times to find his princess, only to bring in countless girls who didn't even know the meaning of love. Including one who did, but who hid it from everyone.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"We need to talk," said Makoto as they walked down the hall to the gardens.  
  
"About what?" asked Minako, her eyes set dead ahead.  
  
"Well, about your... presence, I guess."  
  
"My presence?"  
  
"You haven't been yourself lately, Minako-chan. You hardly ever interact with us, and you're either in town or in your apartments. That tells me there are some real problems going on. I-I'm not saying that you're neglecting your duties. You've been doing an awesome job... but..."  
  
Minako sighed, and stopped walking. Makoto stood next to her.  
  
"I'm worried about you. Really I am."  
  
"Thanks, but you really don't have to be. I've just been doing some thinking."  
  
"For a week? Come on, Mina-chan, I just want to know what's going on."  
  
"I..."  
  
"....You?"  
  
"I... I don't think I can tell you... anyone, really, right now."  
  
"Oh." Makoto nodded. "I understand."  
  
And yet she looked incredibly hurt. Minako's heart burned with guilt.  
  
"B-but, when I'm ready, you'll be the first one I'll tell."  
  
She brightened up. "Great. But if I'm the last to know, I'll lock you up, I swear to God! You and Taiki can have staring contests until you pass out."  
  
"Are you kidding me? No one can beat Aino Minako in a staring contest. Anyway, I don't faint."  
  
"Oh really?"  
  
"Well, the last time I did was when I caught Ichigo sucking down helium from a party balloon... with a look in his eyes that scared to me to death. My God, I thought he was possessed! And he just started bouncing off the walls, and I couldn't catch him. I had to end the pain somehow."  
  
Mako burst out laughing, causing Minako to giggle.  
  
"God, we never change, do we?" said Makoto. "I don't care. Living your life too seriously is a total waste of energy. If we acted as old as we really were... no, I don't want to even get into it... I'd die just thinking about it."  
  
The two women giggled again, and walked with a lighter pace.  
  
It's been a while, she thought, feeling positive. I had forgotten how even acting like you were happy made you feel high.   
  
Finally they entered the gardens, and everyone turned to see them walk down the path, including Yaten.  
  
Minako's heart leapt as his energy moved to her, seeming to caress her soul. They had shared a moment back on the roof in a way she had never shared anything before... when he helped her to remember a part of herself... to remember her ambition.   
  
Makoto and Minako reached the group, and joined in the conversation. A little while later, Ami and Taiki came to the gardens too, looking very happy, and even Ami seemed to have her old strength back. Most of Minako's energy was spent watching Yaten, though. Every move he made, every small glimpse he sent in her direction, would thrill her beyond belief.  
  
Don't do this to yourself, Minako. He'll be gone soon. It's only a visit. And then he won't ever come back. This is a good-bye trip... a time to tie loose ends. Don't make any new ones.  
  
Suddenly, Neo-Queen Serenity appeared at the doorway, a look of confusion and impatience on her sweet face. Yaten's heart stopped.  
  
Beauty beyond compare... a grace that defies the laws of nature... could this possibly be the former Sailor Moon? She reminds me so much of...  
  
"Mom!" cried Chibi-Usa.  
  
"Everyone!" she called. "I must speak with you urgently!"  
  
Instinctively, all the five women of Earth henshined, their faces masked in emotionless stone.   
  
Yaten and Serenity locked eyes, both incredibly surprised. There was a small pause as she looked over at Taiki, his fingers entwined with Ami's. Her eyebrows lifted, and she beckoned for everyone to enter the palace. They all did so, with an unknown fear.  
  
If Serenity was worried, what did this mean?  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"What the hell is that thing?!" shouted Uranus.  
  
The two women stared at the small star that had appeared to the left of the sun. No star at noon was bright enough to be seen.  
  
"It is a vessel of a billion stars," said Neptune. Her face was slack, but her heart had stopped.  
  
"Shit. This is all we need," muttered Uranus. "Do you sense any danger?"  
  
"I sense... impatience... and excitement... it's very faint though, they must be far away."  
  
"That's enough for me. We need to contact the inner senshi, and get them up here."  
  
"We have Divine Protection, Haruka," said Neptune.  
  
"That's true," she answered. "But what if it's something different? I don't want to take any chances. Are you getting a signal at all?"  
  
Neptune nodded, but frowned. "It's very faint, though. Almost as if they're obeying the Galactical Law, but not wanting to be overly seen. I can't make out whether it's hostile, though."  
  
"I hate it when people try to be subtle."  
  
"I know," Neptune said with a small smile.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"Venus."  
  
"Hai!"  
  
"There is an unknown object heading straight for Earth. First Gate asks assistance from Inner Senshi immediately!"  
  
"Permission granted! We'll meet you at the summoning point."  
  
"Thank you! We'll see you there."  
  
Venus ended the conversation with Neptune and turned to the group who were all now inside the palace, facing the queen.  
  
"We are to meet Uranus and Neptune. I need two people to stay with Serenity for back up."  
  
"I'll stay," answered Mercury.  
  
"Me too," said Jupiter.  
  
"Are five people enough up there?" asked Saturn.  
  
"I'll go!" cried Chibi-Usa hopefully. But Venus shook her head.  
  
"Small Lady, you are the heiress to the throne. You need to be safe with your mother." The princess nodded sadly, and Venus smiled slightly. "Maybe next time..."  
  
"Right," said Chibi-Usa half-heartedly, hanging her head.  
  
"Has anyone contacted the King?"  
  
"I just finished talking to Artemis," said Luna as she stopped at the side of Serenity. "King Endymion saw the star-like object in the sky around the same time as Neptune and Uranus. They are traveling back to Crystal Tokyo, and will arrive within the hour."  
  
"Good," said Venus. "That's everything then. Let's go."  
  
"WAIT!" cried Star Healer. "It's them! I feel it... they mobilized the planet!"  
  
A sun harboring a billion lives speeds to this Earth, a force magnified to ours, bound by strings that no one can see. The lives of the senshi will end when we invite them to our home.  
  
Them? It can't be... will they truly kill us all? What am I supposed to do? How could I ever think of something like that?  
  
"They're coming here?" asked Taiki. "What's going on?"  
  
"I don't know... I can't... they're too far away. All I can sense is that they're here."  
  
Our queen has come here. What's wrong? What happened? I knew I never should have left. I knew it. Why didn't I just refuse to leave? What's going on? If something happened, I would never forgive myself. What if Kakyuu-  
  
"YATEN!" Startled and back in reality, Star Healer looked up at Venus. "We're out of time. I'm sorry."  
  
"Let us come with you!" cried Star Maker. "Please!"  
  
"If our queen is in danger-"  
  
"Go," said Serenity to the Star Lights. "Hurry. And... come back as soon as possible. If anything is wrong, Earth will do everything in its power to help your planet."  
  
"Thank you..."  
  
The five Sailor Senshi rose into the air and sped into the sky.  
  
"The time has come for a new revolution," murmured Serenity. She stood between Mercury and Jupiter, her hands reaching out to be entangled with theirs.  
  
Her heart leaped when each held a hand, and they watched as the speeding stars reached to meet the speeding planet.  
  
"I will protect you all with all my strength," said the queen, and her face filled with determination, transforming her features, if only for a moment... into Sailor Moon. 


	6. Home

Tension of The Past  
Part 6  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
I will live for the princess and no one else. Seeing my friends again has lifted a weight off my shoulders... but I can't mistake that feeling. It isn't the same. There is no one else but her. I'll make sure of that.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"It's incredible," gasped Saturn as the senshi waited at the border of the galaxy. A formidable line of all the colors of the rainbow, they faced the ever-growing planet in view. It wouldn't be long before it reached the senshi.   
  
"Thank you," answered Sailor Star Maker.  
  
"You created it?" asked Saturn. Star Maker nodded, and the young senshi returned to her gaze with a renewed sense of awe.  
  
"Can you sense anything?" asked Uranus, directing the question to Star Healer.  
  
"Anticipation..." said Star Healer, and Neptune nodded. "No fear though, or pain..."  
  
Doubt, though... ever so faint... but it's there. Seiya? Is that your heart in confusion? Wondering if your love for Sailor Moon has really died away? If you hurt our queen, I will never forgive you.  
  
"I hate it when we over play a situation," said Mars. "This is a big deal anyway, but I guess we still haven't gotten used to peace."  
  
"I know how you feel," said Star Healer.  
  
"Serenity seemed really worried, though... something is definitely going on," Sailor Venus murmured, more talking to herself than anything. Neptune and Uranus looked at each other, and then back to the foreboding planet.  
  
"What will happen when they get here?" asked Mars. "The planet seems very bright. Will it effect anything on Earth, or will the sun disturb any of the life on your planet?"  
  
"New Kinmoku has a self adjusting device. The hotter the stars' light, the darker the land gets. The closer it gets to Sol, the more it will look like a planet related to Earth."  
  
"Incredible," Saturn whispered again.  
  
The planet was now around the size of a large beach ball, and the Outer Senshi began to shift. They were getting so close... the speed on an object that big was incredible. The planet would arrive within the next few minutes.  
  
"Healer... Fighter... are you there?"  
  
"Queen..." they gasped. The Soldiers of Earth turned and watched them inquisitively.  
  
"I'm so glad you hear me! It feels like I've been trying forever. It must seem a surprise that we've come."  
"Is anything wrong?"  
"No... nothing... I'm so sorry if I've disturbed the peace of Earth..."  
  
"That voice," gasped Mars. The sweet musical tone was entering the minds of the others now.  
  
"Please forgive our intrusion... we give you our word as friends and soldiers that we will not violate your solar system."  
"Why are you here?" asked Uranus.  
"We have come to visit Earth in hopes of an alliance. We were cloaked in invisibility, but we found that since you have the Divine Protection, that is no longer possible. There was a chance that Earth was not ready for an alien relationship, in which we would have left without a trace."  
  
"What do you think, Uranus?" asked Neptune. "These are our friends... they fought beside us against Galaxia. They mean us no harm. I place the power of Neptune in favor of Queen Kakyuu. Let them pass through the lines of the system."  
  
"I agree," said Sailor Saturn. "I place the power of Saturn in favor of New Kinmoku."  
  
Uranus nodded.  
  
"Queen. You have no need to stay out of the border of our system. The system of Sol is open to you as far as Neptune. If you wish to enter Earth, you must ask the inner guardians of Earth for permission. May your visit be safe and pleasant."  
"Thank you."  
  
"Queen Kakyuu."  
"Sailor Venus."  
"You said you desired to make an alliance? If you wish this, you will need to make an audience with Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion. As leader of the inner senshi, I give you permission for you and any family to enter Earth, and an audience with Queen Serenity is granted."  
  
Sailor Mars nodded her head in an affirmative.  
  
"Thank you, Sailor Venus..."  
"We shall escort you to the palace."  
"We will be there momentarily."  
  
Two brilliant flashes of light erupted from the dimming planet and sped towards them. Within seconds, Sailor Star Fighter and Queen Kakyuu stood in front of the Senshi of Earth. Star Healer and Star Maker bowed then moved to their queen's side.  
  
"May I ask where your other guards are?" asked Star Healer.  
  
Kakyuu smiled. "They are on the planet, taking care of the palace."  
  
"Do we have our positions back?" asked Maker.  
  
"If you wish them, it is done."  
  
"It doesn't feel like home without you two," said Fighter.  
  
Sailor Venus felt a stabbing pain in her heart, and confused, she covered her chest with her hand. The pain immediately stopped. Mars looked at her for a moment, but Venus shook her head slightly. No one else seemed to notice, but Uranus' face seemed slightly darker.  
  
"Welcome to our System," said Sailor Neptune.  
  
"Welcome to Earth," said Sailor Venus.  
  
The nine women bowed to each other. Kakyuu looked at her guardians. "Would one of you mind staying to help them with Kinmoku? I'm wondering if the people will feel safe with out us..."  
  
"I'll go," said Star Healer quickly. Star Maker and Star Fighter looked at her with gratitude.  
  
"Thank you, Healer," said Kakyuu, and she placed a hand on the soldier's shoulder. Venus clutched her heart again, the pain stronger than before.  
  
"Are you all right?" asked Kakyuu. Venus locked eyes with the startled queen.  
  
"I'm fine." She smiled, and tried to ignore the stares of the other soldiers. "Shall we go?"  
  
Kakyuu nodded, and the queen, her guardians, and the inner senshi traveled down to the native planet.   
  
"What on Earth was that all about?" asked Uranus.   
  
"No idea," answered Neptune. The two senshi looked to Star Healer, who shrugged, but her eyes betrayed her concern.  
  
"Shall we direct our visitors to a safe place?" asked Neptune. Uranus nodded.  
  
"I can't wait to see this planet," breathed Saturn, and they traveled to the man made world with heavy hearts of lightness.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"Endymion!"  
  
"Serenity." They held each other, and kissed before Chibi-Usa hugged her father. "You've grown since I saw you last, Small Lady... you'll outgrow your name before too long."  
  
"Welcome back, King," said Jupiter and Mercury.   
  
Endymion nodded his head and smiled. "It's good to see you." The atmosphere darkened somewhat. "Do we have any new information?"  
  
"The star like object is in fact New Kinmoku," said Luna who stood beside Artemis and Diana. "The Sailor Star Lights have returned. We don't yet know what the matter is though. Personally, I don't believe the situation is what we've concluded it to be."  
  
"And what is that?" he asked.  
  
"A new enemy." There was a pause.   
  
Serenity lowered her head, and Endymion watched her for a moment. "What's wrong?"  
  
She looked at him, and shook her head. "I agree with Luna. It isn't a dangerous situation yet..."  
  
Endymion opened his mouth to speak when a voice called out to him.  
  
"King! You're back!"  
  
"Sailor Mars. What's the word?"  
  
"Queen Kakyuu wishes an audience with you and Queen Serenity to propose an alliance."  
  
Luna nodded with satisfaction.  
  
"Let's meet them in the throne room," answered Endymion. Mars nodded, bowed and walked away.  
  
"What should we do?" asked Serenity.  
  
"I think our hearts have already answered that question."  
  
She smiled sadly. Don't be afraid... the future is never certain. But how can I not be? These are my loved ones. I promised to protect them, and if joining with a planet of people we've only known personally will destroy them... but seeing them again lifts my heart even as it pains it. I am not certain that they will die. But I'm not certain I want to take that chance.  
  
"We'll meet them in the throne room. Gather the soldiers of Earth," said Serenity. "This will be a joint decision."  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Venus walked into the throne room, Star Fighter next to Kakyuu right behind her. The alien marveled at the strength and grace the soldier of love walked with, a subtle change, but one that transformed the soldier completely. Seiya had almost always wondered why the senshi considered her the leader of the inner senshi, but watching her now he had no doubt in his mind that she was fit to lead.  
  
But something else was in her mind as well. She loved Kakyuu. Loved her with a passion, the queen was her soul mate. But she still feared the feelings inside of her for Sailor Moon. She had forgotten what kind of love it was. Time had masked her emotions... but within seconds, once her and Sailor Moon's eyes met... would everything change?  
  
And there she was sitting on her thrown in front of them, a near blinding light of love. She was so beautiful, and that smile of joy of seeing them all again...  
  
"Welcome, all of you." Her voice echoed throughout the room. "I am honored that you have traveled so far to visit us." Every person in the room bowed.  
  
"We are honored that you have accepted our visit," said Kakyuu. "And we hope that no pain was given at our arrival."  
  
"There was none." They all bowed again.  
  
"We were wishing to not only to be in your presence again, but also to create a joining in our planets now that we are both at a time of peace...a permanent time."  
  
There was a small silence, and Kakyuu tried to find the right words. Unfortunately, there was nothing formal in what she wanted to say. Maybe the time to be formal had passed.  
  
"When I first came here," she began. "The reason was simple. This was the only place left not controlled by Galaxia. But even in hiding I grew to love this place. To watch you as Sailor Moon as you helped your friends... to watch my guardians act in a way I had never known. This planet changed me... protected me, and when I was in danger, you did not hesitate to help me either. All of the senshi of Earth wanted to help us. I was deeply moved.  
  
"We are all alone now... a drifting planet, and even with all it's beauty and wealth, we are homeless. Earth is a place that I have always thought of somewhat as a home. More than anything now, I wish in some way to be a part of this planet again. To share the love of my own world with you, for you to come to love Kinmoku as I have come to love Earth."  
  
Small tears filled the queen's eyes.  
  
"I feel as if we are all afraid to move on, to open ourselves again to the universe. This is what is holding us back from truly ever being safe again. It is no longer about outside enemies, but the ones within. Earth is a place where I can feel what safety is like. I want that safety for my entire planet."  
  
She bowed, and felt the eyes of the queen move from her. Looking up she watched as Serenity looked at Sailor Venus, then to her husband, then back to her.  
  
"Queen Kakyuu," she said lovingly. "I am deeply moved by your words. But the decision is not mine alone. Please give us a moment to decide."  
  
"Thank you so much." They all bowed for the last time, and the three aliens left the room.  
  
Serenity sighed heavily and stood up, and stepped down to the floor with her husband to meet the other senshi.  
  
"There is something I must tell you before you all say yes," she said. "I have had a premonition. And all of your lives may be endangered if we make this alliance. They are our friends, but you are my family, and I don't want anything to happen to you that would bring pain. I want this alliance to work, but I don't want anymore death."  
  
All but Venus nodded.  
  
"I still say yes," said Mercury. "These are our friends. I don't want to shut them out."  
  
"I say yes, too," agreed Jupiter. "Nothing's ever certain anyway."  
  
"Same for me," answered Mars. "I've had tons of premonitions that never came true."  
  
"I agree," said Endymion. "Things never happen the way we plan."  
  
The only one silent was Venus. The small party turned to her.  
  
"Venus?" asked Mercury. "What are you thinking?"  
  
"I'm thinking that I'm not so sure about this..." She lowered her gaze. "I know that my decision would break or make this thing, but I can't decide. We fought together, we aided each other in times of crisis... but it was the same in the Silver Millennium wasn't it? With the Earth and the Moon? That time ended in tragedy. Divine Protection is upheld only if we don't invite them in. I wish I had known about this sooner before we let them enter the solar system."  
  
"Venus!"  
  
"I know I sound harsh... but it's the truth. I'm here to protect this planet, and if creating an alliance with friends will destroy everything we've created... then I say no."  
  
Serenity nodded, but moved to face her friend, their faces nearly touching.  
  
"Minako." Serenity moved to her guardian. "I know how you feel. Wondering if one thing we do will destroy everything else. But I also feel that we've been controlling our lives using events from the past as experience. We may be the same people from then... but we are also different. I won't force you to say yes, but what if agreeing to this alliance will make a change for the better instead of the worse? That's one of the reasons why I kept it from you. We can fight anything. I'm not strong like you anymore, but we'll make it out all right. I can't blame you for a part of you not wanting us to do this... but think of what might NOT happen if we reject them."  
  
We'll never see them again. Taiki for Ami... Yaten...  
  
"...Yes." She looked up at everybody. "I agree then. I feel we are powerful enough. I place my trust in them. If we are betrayed, I am part of the responsibility."  
  
There was a large collected sigh of relief. And surprisingly enough, Venus was one of them too. I want them to be here. Yaten... I want you to be here so I can see you all the time... even if it's from a distance.  
  
"I'll get them," she said, and rushed to the door. Everybody hurried to get to their spots near or on the thrones, lifting their composure, and Venus opened the door, a huge smile on her face.   
  
"Welcome home." 


	7. Secrets

Tension of the Past  
Part 7  
  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
One day later...  
  
The walls closed around him, and the songs of free birds sang in his ears. The peacock took flight and flew to his nesting place... the kitchen.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
She stood there, among the flowers and crystals like a nymph, crystal reflections off her shoulder length black hair, her skin dyed red from the light of roses. A soft smile brightened her face as her mind wandered into the distance, her eyes only seeing her dreams, and she did not notice a pink head peeking above the bushes next to a blue set of hair.  
  
"There she is," whispered Chibi-Usa.  
  
"Uh-huh..."  
  
"This is probably the only chance you'll ever get to be alone."  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
Chibi-Usa scowled. "So are you going to ask her or not?"  
  
"In a minute."  
  
"We can do this two ways. One: go and ask her. Two: not ask her and watch her dance all night with some guy you've never seen before... they'll be staring into each other's eyes, the surrounding world fading away, hearing nothing but their own heartbeats..." Closing her eyes, Chibi-Usa imagined the scene... and unfortunately, so could Ichigo. "They'll walk to this very spot to get away from everybody, and talk all night long about the future and dreams... he'll lean forward slightly, the moon playing off his eyes... she'll be entranced, captivated... they'll kiss and then..."  
  
Chibi-Usa grabbed his ear and tugged hard, making sure he heard her whisper. "You'll be the ring bearer at their wedding!"  
  
"NO!!"  
  
"Huh?" Hotaru spun around, startled and stared at the bush. A second later she watched as Ichigo was shoved out of the shrubbery landing face down at her feet. "Ichigo-kun!"  
  
"Uuuhhhh..." he lifted his head slightly, and stared at her shapely ankles.  
  
Hotaru quickly dropped to her knees and helped him up, her black dress flowing like a gust of dark, mysterious wind. They sat across from each other, Ichigo speechless, and Hotaru giggled, her eyes closing in that sweet way they did. She didn't look eighteen, she looked ageless, so beautiful... he never fully knew her, and yet understood her to her soul.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
"Uhhh... I was just..." He looked back at the bush, trying to see Chibi-Usa, but such was a princess who learned from only the best... Aino Minako, the idol stalker. "I was just trying to... um..."  
  
There was a rustle in the bushes, a small meow (more of a yelp), and a small gray kitten came leaping from the roses straight at the boy.  
  
"I was just trying to find Diana!" He looked back, and a hand giving the thumbs up appeared out of the bushes.  
  
"I don't know what happened!" she wailed. "I was just sitting on Small Lady's lap, and all of a sudden, she pushed me out of the-"  
  
Ichigo covered her mouth, and smiled.  
  
"The poor kitty... got lost... ahehehe." Diana looked up at him puzzled. "Diana... you're fine now, go back to Chibi-Usa-chan, now... I bet she's worried about you-"  
  
"But she just-"  
  
"She must be looking ALL OVER FOR YOU!!"  
  
"DIANA! DIANA, WHERE ARE YOU?!" Chibi-Usa appeared at the doorway (with a small muttering from Ichigo of "How does she do that?") and spotted Diana. "There you are! Where have you been?!"  
  
"I was-"  
  
"I was so worried!"  
  
"... But... but... you-"  
  
"I promised you sushi, that's right! I'm so sorry. Want to go now?"  
  
"COMING!" The kitty jumped from the boy's hands and raced to the young princess.  
  
When Ichigo made sure they were alone, he stood up and helped her to her feet.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Sure..."  
  
"So..."  
  
"Um..."  
  
"..."  
  
"..."  
  
"Was... there anything you wanted to say to me? You seem pretty tense."  
  
"Oh." He lowered his shoulders. "Actually, there was something I wanted to ask you..."  
  
"What?" She smiled sweetly.  
  
"Do... do you... want to..."  
  
"Want to what?"  
  
"To... to... Am I just a little kid to you?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I mean... I know I'm nine hundred and four... but I'm not growing or anything... I don't look like what I should be... I guess, and..."  
  
"Should it make a difference?" she asked. "You're Ichigo, right? That's all that matters."  
  
"No, it's not." He said heatedly, frowning. Hotaru was taken aback. "I should look older... not like a twelve year old little kid. Like every guy my age should be... I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm just some freak-"  
  
"Stop it," she said. "There's nothing wrong with you. Nothing."  
  
She placed her hand on his shoulder.  
  
"R-really?"  
  
"Of course." His hope brightened.  
  
"T-then, I was kind of wondering..."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Well, you know the celebration of the alliance is in a couple days... and..."  
  
"... And?"  
  
"And well, I was just wondering if-"  
  
"GET BACK HERE, YOU LITTLE PIECE OF-"  
  
"YOU CAN NEVER CATCH ME! I AM THE WIND! THE WIND, I SAY!"  
  
Taiki01 giggled in glee as he ran down the pathway with a bottle of the finest sake in the world in one hand, a small cup in the other, a very angry Jupiter right on his butt, and his silk kimono falling dangerously loose.  
  
"HAVE YOU LEARNED NOTHING?!"  
  
"WAAAAH!" Taiki hooked Ichigo by the neck and pulled him down the path with him.  
  
"A HOSTAGE NOW? OH, YOU'RE GOING TO PAY, BUDDY!"  
  
"No! Don't do anything, Jupiter-san!"  
  
Suddenly, Taiki stopped, dropped the bottle, cup, and boy, and twirled around to meet Jupiter face to face. Grabbing her hand, he knelt on one knee, and murmured, "Marry me, darling. I've loved you all my life..."  
  
"You've only been alive for two and half months," she said with clenched teeth, and tried to tug her hand away. The glove slipped off, but Taiki quickly grabbed her other hand, massaging her fingers.  
  
"And what a time! I spent hours dreaming of your eyes and lips and those big, beautiful, round-"  
  
"HEY!" She blushed furiously, and went to slap him, but he deftly caught her other hand, and kissed her gloved palm. "Oh, brother..."  
  
"Do something!" shouted Ichigo, who was being crushed by Taiki's knee.   
  
Taiki01 stared up at Jupiter with huge pale eyes, glistening with innocence, and Jupiter blinked, a veil of illusion shading the clone's face into familiar proportions to...  
  
"I-I can't..." she stuttered.  
  
"What? Why not?!"  
  
"He... he looks like... my senpai!"  
  
"Oh my God..."  
  
"My sweet blossom. My tempered rose." Without taking his eyes off of her, he plucked a rose and handed it to the dazed senshi. She took it, startled, and lifted an eyebrow. "I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you..."  
  
"Are you sure you really want to?"  
  
"Absolutely, I would spend my life in captivity for you!"  
  
"So far it hasn't been working."  
  
"...Can't... breathe..."  
  
"I'm a changed man, I promise. I'll learn, I'll do anything for you!"  
  
"REALLY now..." Taiki nodded his head vigorously. "Well then..."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Once you get over your hang over, you'll be my slave for the rest of your life."  
  
"... What would this entail?"  
  
"Well, for starters, going to the ball with me."  
  
"Done."  
  
Their palms slid smoothly into a handshake, and Jupiter grinned.   
  
"You have no idea how much you'll regret this," she said through a beauty pageant smile, and sent a current of electricity into his body.  
  
Taiki fell to the ground, a mass of muscle crushing Ichigo. Jupiter rolled him off of the boy with her foot, and helped the prince of Mercury to his feet.  
  
"Ichigo!" Hotaru ran to him, and he leaned on her grimacing in pain, but a grin sweeping across his face in absolute bliss. "What are you going to do with him?"  
  
"Taiki01?" Hotaru nodded, and Jupiter thought for a moment, nudged the collapsed body with her toe and then nodded her head. "Keep my word, I guess."  
  
"W-what?"  
  
"Well, if he's been in a cage all of his life (no matter how big it is), he would have a grudge to those who put him in there anyway, right?"  
  
"I... guess..."  
  
"He's never had a chance to deal with emotions on a society level... we HAVE been kind of harsh, but damnit! What am I thinking?" She slammed a fist into her open palm. "He's a spoiled, two month old who hasn't had a chance to actually live... he's an insult to the human race... he shouldn't have been here, and the thing is... he knows it too." Pity flooded her soul. "He's going to the celebration with me, and that's that. Time to give him a chance!"  
  
"But if he does something?"  
  
Jupiter ground her fist into her palm. "Then he'll be in that cage all his life... without the silk."  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"Knock-knock!" The sing song voice erupted Yaten's thoughts, and he turned his head to the door, staring as Minako peaked through, beaming.  
  
"Isn't it a custom on Earth to actually slam their knuckles onto a slab of wood instead of voicing a stylized version of the sound?"   
  
Minako shrugged. "My hand hurts after doing it for so long. Can I come in?" She walked inside the guest room where Yaten was staying, and closed the door.  
  
"Sure, why not?" He finally rotated his entire body in her direction, and Minako walked closer to him, her pale yellow organza dress flowing around her figure. The only thing that made Yaten feel at ease around Minako was the sight of the bow in her hair. It was a symbol that not everything had completely changed, they were still the same people, with the same memories and feelings, even if they had a calmer (or not) aura around them.  
  
He still hadn't gotten used to seeing the girls in some sense of formality. If they weren't in their fuku, they were wearing royal attire, fit for the princesses that they were. It had made him seem so foolish in the old clothes he had been wearing when they walked into the palace... but nobody seemed to mind anyway.  
  
"It's too dark in here!" she cried, and went to open the curtains, but Yaten stopped her.  
  
"It's fine, I like the dark."  
  
"No way..." she said. "There's something tragic about a dark room at noon."  
  
She pulled open the curtains, the light flooding into the room. She sighed sweetly and looked out the window into the crystal garden. Serenity, Endymion, Kakyuu, Seiya, Ami and Taiki were all standing and talking, laughing, and enjoying themselves, as the queen and her consort surveyed the garden. Serenity looked up and saw Minako, and she smiled brightly. Minako smiled back and waved, and then turned to see Yaten who stared at the floor, scowling.  
  
"What? Don't like the view? I thought you liked the garden."  
  
"It's more beautiful when empty."  
  
Minako turned back to watch the three couples. She could feel Yaten's green eyes blazing through her, to the queen of New Kinmoku... an ache in his heart that only matched her own. She blinked back the tears of pain, blocked her heart, and the searing heat faded. She wasn't liking this new effect that Yaten had over her.  
  
"Loneliness is such a sad thing to feel, isn't it?" There was a small intake of breath, and before Yaten could say anything back, Minako beamed and said, "I've been trying to find someone to go into town with me... but everybody's busy... want to go? Do a little sight seeing...?"  
  
"Sounds good... I'm busy right now though, maybe later?"  
  
"I could help you, if you want..."  
  
"N-no, that's okay..."  
  
"What are you hiding?"  
  
"Nothing! Really!"  
  
Minako pouted little, and then made a subtle move to look over his shoulder (which wasn't that hard to do), but Yaten kept on blocking the way.  
  
"It's nothing!"  
  
"Then why are you keeping me away?"  
  
"Is this what you do to all your guests?" he said, pivoting to the side when she swerved to the right.  
  
"Only to you!"  
  
"Really, now?"  
  
"Of course! Nobody's hid anything from me before!"  
  
"So why don't you stop hiding your secret from them?"  
  
She stopped and looked at him, her eyes wide. "My...secret..."  
  
Yaten's eyes were flooded with an orange light, a small film that changed the room's perspective ever so slightly. The light from the window's cascaded down like a beacon from heaven, filling the room with its glory, and yet small imprints of footsteps, of fingerprints on the door, of a woman right in front of him... as black and lonely as night.  
  
The sad, warm light suddenly put on an edge of iciness, and Yaten watched as Minako snapped into cold civility and moved back a few steps.  
  
"What about YOUR secret?" she said coldly. "What about why YOU came here? Maybe I should just tell your queen why you left her. Why you left because the sight of her made you weak-"  
  
Yaten's eyes narrowed, as his heart began to panic. "Don't you get into my life! How dare you even try! Who do you think you are, taking a shot like that? Changing the subject? You can't even begin to understand-"  
  
"Understand what?! What it's like to have your heart broken because they love somebody else? To not even get the chance to fulfill your desires because it's forbidden?! It's impossible?!"  
  
There was a very, very long silence as the two stared at each other... both just as shocked by her words.  
  
"What am I doing?" she whispered. "I'm sorry, Yaten... I shouldn't have said those things..."   
  
Minako tore herself away, and began to flee the room, but Yaten caught her hand.  
  
"No..." he said quietly. "Don't leave. You're right. I'm in love with Kakyuu... I love her like... I can't even begin to explain... I did run away... I lowered my status so I couldn't get too close. I don't ever want to get too close. It's painful to be with her... and yet it's painful when my eyes aren't on her. But there's nothing I can do, Minako. There's really nothing I can do. I don't want to run away anymore... but I will NEVER tell her how I feel."   
  
Minako studied his face for a moment, her eyes full of understanding and... and something else... Yaten lowered his gaze, ignoring the feeling in Minako's heart that he knew was there... and hesitatingly squeezed her hand in a way of "I know".  
  
Minako's heart threatened to burst in either pain or happiness at such an affectionate response. She needed to get out of this situation. Her eyes wandered to the bed.  
  
"Oh!" she gasped, and rushed to what Yaten had been hiding. Yaten shook his head and sighed. It was inevitable anyway. "THIS is what you've been keeping away from me?"  
  
On the bed lay several tuxedoes, each slightly different from the others. Minako nodded her head.  
  
"Good taste... you definitely want to go with just black... Pale violet is almost absurd, but Endymion pulls it off well. I don't think anybody else could."  
  
Yaten nodded, surprised slightly by her fashion sense. No one could pull off wearing yellow except Minako, and even then it had to be just the right color.  
  
Minako's eyes caught a splash of pale blue hidden under one of the black tuxedoes, and Yaten watched in horror as she honed in on it. She gasped in surprise when she pulled out a beautiful, pale, silk dress. It was simple with think straps and a low, heart shaped neck, with two layers that slid against each other with liquid fluidity.  
  
She stared, shocked, and looked at Yaten.  
  
"I had been thinking..." he said. "I don't know why I came back here as a male human... maybe to be recognized more? It shouldn't have made a difference... you know what we look like. I understood why Taiki took that form... but me... You can't spoil such beauty on a man!"  
  
Minako only nodded.  
  
"I had been thinking about changing back into a woman to be true to myself. It shouldn't matter really... you are who you are... a soul, a person... but somehow it matters to me. I was a man because of desperation. I don't want to feel that anymore. But I also don't want to feel desperate as a man, you understand?"  
  
"Put on a tuxedo," was all that Minako said. Yaten opened his mouth to say something, but quickly closed it, grabbed a black velvet tux with it's matching white cravat, and headed behind the dressing screen.  
  
The light from the window was just right enough, that Minako could see a dim shadow, and she watched silently as he undressed and put on the formal attire, the sound of shifting fabric and moving hair flowing to her ears. She turned her head away, and finally heard him come out from behind the screen and stood in front of her.  
  
"Ah..." This would be one of the few times that Yaten allowed anybody to look him over so closely. She walked slowly around him, her hair brushing against his jacket, the golden mane held fast by the black velvet fur. Yaten gazed at the strands' pattern on the jacket, until it was lead around his entire body as she surveyed the cut and fall of the jacket and pants. Finally, she faced him again, and pulled her hair from the tuxedo, and smiled. "Very nice... where did you get these anyway?"  
  
"Makoto dropped them off for me."  
  
"She would."  
  
"Is it me, or is she under a lot of stress lately?"  
  
"It's kind of both. She acts like she's under a lot of stress, but really she's not."  
  
Minako handed him the pale blue dress. Gingerly, he took the dress, trying to interpret the feeling he was getting from her, but it was masked by his own confusion... or was it hers? Ignoring those thoughts, he went back to behind the dressing screen.  
  
Minako's eyes were transfixed now as the shadow changed shape instantly, without sound, from a naked man, to a nude woman. Beautiful and graceful curves replaced the flat lines of dimension, and Minako gazed as delicate arms slipped the dress over slender shoulders.  
  
"Anou..." Yaten stuck her head out from the screen, and Minako blushed furiously, quickly tearing her eyes away.   
  
Perfect, Minako. Just great. How much more obvious can you get? Just don't let her think twice.  
  
"Uh... yes?" She looked up and looked into those large, heavily lashed green eyes.  
  
"Could you finish buttoning the back for me? It's too hard towards the middle." She walked to Minako and turned around, and the blonde haired woman hesitated slightly. "What's wrong?"  
  
"N-nothing. Silly me. I almost forgot how these things work." Yaten lifted her silver hair up from her neck, the long strands spilling over the top of her head, and Minako fumbled with the buttons, wincing as the muscles of Yaten's back flinched when her fingers brushed against the skin. She's probably never really been touched, thought Minako, and wondered at the pale, flawless skin... What are you thinking?! Bad girl, Minako! Bad girl.   
  
"There you go!" she said happily when the last button was buttoned.  
  
Yaten turned around, and Minako made an audible gasp. A moon sprite... so pale, and yet glowing...  
  
"So?" Yaten rose an eyebrow. Minako moved her eyes to the mirror, and both women turned to the reflection.  
  
"The dress," Minako breathed. "Definitely the dress."  
  
There was a small pause, and then Minako grinned. "So now you'll go into town with me?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Sure! You can borrow some of my clothes! It'll be fun! I haven't really wanted to go out for a long time."  
  
"Wait a second-"  
  
Minako grabbed Yaten's hand and raced down the corridor to her apartment, flung open the doors, pulled Yaten in, slammed the doors closed, and raced to her closet.  
  
A shower of shirts and blouses poured down over Yaten... and with a sigh, she picked up a skirt, studied the quality, and then smiled, deciding a trip into the city wouldn't be so bad after all. 


	8. Theories

Tension of the Past  
Part 8  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
The royal families stood at the center of the garden in a circle, shoulders not quite touching, but there was almost an irresistible urge to reach out to the people across from them... it was not only Serenity and Endymion's open affection, or Ami and Taiki's entwined fingers, nor was it just Kakyuu's hand relaxed on Seiya's shoulder, and her lover's arms around her waist. It was the circle of love in the center... an emotion that was fed to each person with every breath and word.  
  
"I've been thinking about the strange differences between time, space, and aging. Nine years verses nine hundred," said Taiki. Ami instinctively moved into the voice of science. The others were interested, but not quite sure if they were prepared for the scientific language that Taiki would be using, especially Serenity. Luckily he had enough control to keep his vocabulary to a bare minimum.  
  
"What my queen had said before about the rotation of a planet (or lack there of) around the sun effecting time and aging is true. But what of gravity? Should that have made a difference? Obviously, the ginsuishou has great power, and I'm sure that has helped in stopping the aging process of those who's lives are touched by it. But what of us on New Kinmoku? Can the crystal reach that far? Those a part of our planet have not aged since Serenity came to reign on Earth nine hundred years ago... or nine... however you think of it. Kakyuu has said she has not felt Kinmoku's crystal working at all to stop the aging process... could it be because our planet has been destroyed and we are no longer attached to it?   
  
"We had tried studying the radiation levels of the stars, and it had been working for a while, but the galaxy experienced sporadic and frequent accounts of radiation level change... it just got to the point where it wasn't worth it. I realize now that the galaxy's energy changed when Tsukino-san..." Taiki hesitated a moment before Serenity nodded her head in re-assurance. "...became Serenity, newer and greater powers were formed, and a level of change had to take place to have that new energy be brought in. There were more of those changes as the other senshi acquired heightened strength as well."  
  
"I think you mistake my power," said Serenity. "I am not as strong as the others anymore."  
  
"But they aren't as strong as you, either," said Seiya. "There are different types of strength. You have a power that can't be gained with the physical self. It is found within."  
  
"Then why does the ginsuishou bring such changes to the body?" asked Kakyuu. "There is still gravity on this Earth, on New Kinmoku as well, and people a part of the Silver Millennium are not aging."  
  
"I had been studying the power of the crystal," said Ami. "Keeping a record of the attributes and changes that have occurred since Crystal Tokyo began, and we've found-" Serenity glowed, knowing she had a hand in some of the research "-that it's not JUST the crystal's power that has been keeping us alive for so long. People who are a part of the Silver Millennium can age quite dramatically... signs of that have been shown from those who fall into frequent depressions, or lose a sense of themselves... but just as soon as they pick themselves up again, the aging process stops, even reverses if they begin to heal."  
  
She blushed slightly, embarrassed by her words, for every one in that circle knew that she had been one of those people. Small wrinkles had formed on her face, and she felt as if her life had been sucked out of her, ever since a part of her had snapped. But those aging tells were diminishing by the minute, and Taiki found it fascinating just watching her youth slip back into place.  
  
Ami still didn't look technically twenty one. She hadn't completed the circle between her and Ichigo or the clone... and she knew she needed to... she wanted to, more than anything.  
  
And the sad thing was the signs of aging were showing in Minako. Minako would always be beautiful, but she looked to be in her mid twenties, and she was aging slowly but surely. She couldn't hold back the pain anymore as she had done for so long.  
  
Everybody felt a little guilty for not helping her out, or asking what the problem was... but each knew it was something they could not change for her. Minako had to want to heal. And right now, wallowing in sorrow and self-pity looked very comfortable to her.  
  
But Taiki had been surprised at the immediate change Minako had made when seeing him and Yaten... or was it just Yaten? Her eyes had become younger, her face brighter. There was definitely something happening with her.  
  
"We have a theory," continued Ami. "Our own minds and hearts are the key in this aging process. The ginsuishou is just an aid... a magnifier to place a name to it. And the crystals around Tokyo and other parts of the Silver Millennium are aids to the ginsuishou. The energy from ourselves is bounced off of the crystal nearest to us, and sent to the ginsuishou where it sends it back to the crystal where we are, which sends it back to ourselves. Without the crystal, the changes would be very subtle, but they would still be there. I also believe we would still have such long life spans anyway. With the knowledge we have gained since the battle of Galaxia, about our hearts and dreams, and even the secrets we have come to understand about the universe, I believe our bodies could last for as long as we wanted them too."  
  
"Live forever?" whispered Seiya. "Immortality?"  
  
"Why not?" said Ami. "We have the choice to leave our bodies when we wish to. When we gain all the knowledge we need, or decide it's just time to try new things, we let go... but I don't think we would die if we really believed we didn't have to."  
  
Everyone around her showed a small amount of skepticism at the thought, including Taiki. It had been a habit of hers long ago to blush, apologize, and then hide. Ami had gotten over it. It was her idea, and she liked it. And that was that. If others didn't agree, that was fine. There were plenty of things she didn't agree with even in Serenity, but she never took anything personally anymore... Taiki01 had taught her that. He was scared, angry, hurt, and confused about his life. Why not blame it on the woman who created him? She knew it was her fault he was here... but on some level, a place she had never delved into, Taiki01 must have agreed to be a part of this.  
  
"I'm not saying this is fact. We have yet to see if it works, right?" Ami said. "I for one, will live with that belief all my life... and even if it isn't true, it would only make my life better for wanting to live fully."  
  
"I'd like to believe it," said Endymion. "But death has always been the end for us. The ultimate and inevitable place."  
  
"What is death, really, though?" said Serenity. "The leaving of a soul from a body once it's had its use... or the body is beyond repair. There must be something that makes us stay or leave. But is it possible to merge everything together? Bring Heaven to Earth?"  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Rei walked down the hallway, taking out the invisible tangles in her hair as her mind flashed through all that Serenity had said the day before. She had done a fire reading to see if there was a confirmation on the queen's vision, but unfortunately the flames were unreadable. So many images layered on top of each other, it was impossible to discern one from another. The tarot reading helped a little more. The issue had been the future. The outcome had been indecision, choices, and fast action.  
  
There needed to be some clear, sound, heart filled choices this time, though Rei had no idea what they were. The age had passed for destiny to be straight forward. No more enemies giving you only two choices: Destroy or be destroyed.  
  
It was now more along the lines of: Be extremely happy; be happy with some decisions and not happy with others; be happy alone; be happy with somebody; be unhappy alone; be unhappy with someone; be miserable; be downright evil and make others unhappy; travel; don't travel; stay at home tomorrow; go next door; bake a cake; don't bake a cake; get a date for the celebration... or don't.  
  
And those last two were the questions she had been keeping from her mind. Guys. Hmph. Who needed them? Nobody, except she had been missing the intimacy between two lovers for an EXTREMELY long time, and Ichigo was beginning to catch on to the fact that he was the only available man in the palace. He was short, but she could work with it... Joking! Joking! Everybody knew his heart was taken already. Poor guy, he was a man trapped in a boy's body. And Hotaru was a woman through and through.  
  
Ami was still trying to understand both Small Lady and Ichigo's growth state... she wouldn't dare try to do to the kids what she had done to the Taiki clone... growth of the body and mind in only two weeks... but the kids would have to grow by themselves. And they did do it. It was just sporadic. And it had something to do with their own inner thoughts.  
  
This was now the time of choice. I just hope you guys choose the road you want... She had some consolation knowing she wasn't a part of this mess, and some disappointment along with it. They had always been together in everything... and now for the moment, she was closer to Michiru, Haruka, and Setsuna than the inners. Hotaru was near the middle in everything. The other outer senshi wouldn't be caught up in it...  
  
No, wait... they would. Most definitely. Especially Haruka. Michiru would have a hand too... they could get in deep if they wanted to... which they would. So they were in it. But the fact remained that Mars would be the least touched by the coming of New Kinmoku. No, wait... she and Pluto... maybe Setsuna would be more of an observer than her... yes, Setsuna would be the least touched... unless...  
  
Damnit! Everybody was in it except her! No, wait... unless... Forget it. It was going to be a free for all this time. She had no idea what she was thinking about anyway.  
  
"What in the world...?" She stopped walking and watched as Jupiter appeared in the distance of the hallway, a body slumped over her shoulder, and Ichigo limping against Hotaru behind the brunette senshi. Anybody could tell the limp was a fake, even the distance Rei was at, but Hotaru was oblivious, and Ichigo was obviously enjoying the touch.  
  
She started to rush to them, but tripping over her dress wasn't exactly charming in her eyes, so she just cursed and transformed into Mars.  
  
"What happened?!" she called as she ran down the hallway. "Is he dead?"  
  
"Not yet!" called Jupiter. "When he's in his right mind he'll wish he was!"  
  
They met each other, Mars making three fourths of the way.  
  
"So then what's going on?"  
  
"Guess who Makoto-san's date for the celebration is?" asked Hotaru.  
  
"No... seriously?"  
  
Ichigo made a weak nod, and then slumped against Hotaru even more.  
  
"Boy, you need to get stronger," muttered Jupiter.  
  
"A very tall and heavy man fell onto me. Give me a break. I'm only 904."  
  
"Weren't you the one that was talking about being too young? It seems to me like you want to stay that way," surmised Hotaru.  
  
"Oh! It's a miracle!" and Ichigo stood up quickly, and moved somewhat reluctantly from Hotaru's embrace.   
  
"Wow." Mars rolled her eyes. "I am SO impressed."  
  
Ichigo pressed a finger to his lips, and Hotaru smiled sweetly.  
  
"So where are you guys going?" asked Mars.  
  
"The kitchen," said Jupiter and the small troop started walking again, leaving Sailor Mars behind.  
  
"What?!" she cried. "Why not to his cell?!"  
  
"He always goes to the kitchen, anyway," called back Ichigo.  
  
"Ever since we installed the hot-tub in his room," added Hotaru.  
  
"Well, wait for me!" she called, and ran after the three... no, wait... the four. Hell. She just wasn't thinking straight today.   
  
Well, whatever was going to happen, it certainly wasn't going to be boring.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Minako opened the smaller door to the back (and much more secretive) entrance, the summer wind bringing in a gust of heat to Yaten's face. They were stopped along the walkway by two women in incredible gowns each holding bags that somehow didn't match the dresses, no matter how beautiful they were.  
  
"Haruka-san! Michiru-san!"  
  
"M-Minako-chan?"  
  
"You finally came! Did you just get your stuff at your house? I hope you'll be staying longer than last time. We've missed your company so much. Especially Hotaru-chan, though she'll never say it."  
  
Haruka and Michiru ogled at the two women standing before them. Minako was wearing a very nice light blue spring dress, very becoming on her and full of the taste she had lacked in her teenage twentieth century years. She looked incredibly sweet and innocent, and the couple's heart warmed at her returning charm.  
  
And then, there was... that.  
  
"What happened to you?" scoffed Haruka. "Finally coming to terms with your feminine side?"  
  
Michiru was silent, her apologies radiating from herself, with a little amusement, and with bemusement as well. Yaten was wearing a delicate pink tank top with a short, white mini-skirt. And it was impossible not to notice her.  
  
"Hey, now. I should be saying the same to you," countered Yaten. "Your dress is oddly alluring, though I never thought of you as the type to bare shoulders, seeing as they're so broad."  
  
Both Michiru and Minako blanched, while Haruka turned red. The aqua beauty laid a gentle hand on Haruka's arm, and murmured, "Remember... you were the one who started this."  
  
"Come on, Yaten-chan." Both Haruka and Michiru winced at that small title, and watched as Minako placed a hand on Yaten's shoulder. The silver haired girl mildly shrank back by reflex, but didn't openly shrug it off. "Be nice. It's been way too long to hold onto grudges."  
  
"Yeah, let's talk about that for a second," said Yaten.  
  
"Come ON," pleaded Minako. "Let's not get into this now!"  
  
"Haruka," Michiru warned. Haruka ignored her.  
  
"Minako-chan." The older blonde motioned for her to come, Minako looked at Michiru who only gave her a sympathetic smile, and followed the angry princess of Uranus.   
  
Michiru and Yaten looked at each other, each void of emotion.  
  
"You do look very nice, though," said Michiru after small pause. "I've forgotten how beautiful the people of Kinmoku were."  
  
Yaten smiled and nodded to the princess of Neptune. "I had forgotten how the people of Earth shined too."  
  
Michiru blushed slightly but then paled at the words of, "But you're still wearing that same lipstick color last time I saw you."   
  
"..."  
  
"..."  
  
"..."  
  
"...I'm joking, Kaiou-san."  
  
"You better be."  
  
When they had rounded the corner and were out of earshot, Haruka grabbed Minako's shoulder, the younger woman gasping.  
  
"What are you doing?" said Haruka, through clenched teeth. "I can't believe you're even with that rude thing. I know we have an alliance, the queen is all a wonderful woman could be, but her guardians are another matter..."  
  
"You don't even know them. You don't even want to give them a chance."  
  
"They've proven themselves to be heartless and selfish, and I don't want you to associate with them."  
  
"We talk about how much we've changed, Haruka-san..." murmured Minako, who took Haruka's hand on her shoulder and pried it off. "But when you see something that you don't want to deal with, you still consider it a threat. You haven't even tried. They've changed. It's been a while. You can't make me stop liking them."  
  
"I have to admit," said Haruka more quietly. "That they grew on me when they were away. I thought of all the times when they weren't the sons of bitches they usually were."  
  
"See? They can't be all that bad if YOU liked them."  
  
"But then we learned Ami-chan was pregnant with Ichigo-kun." Haruka scowled. "Taiki MUST have known somehow. He must have. And the fact that they were already-"  
  
"What about Serenity and Endymion? She got pregnant with Chibi-Usa when she was barely an adult!"  
  
"That's different!"  
  
"How?!"  
  
"Because King was there for her! He's Mamoru, for God's sakes. He's not some alien that picks up and leaves his life at the scent of another woman!"  
  
"Even so-"  
  
"Minako-chan... It wasn't my choice to make this alliance. We all care for Serenity and her wishes-"  
  
"But what about Ami? Don't you care for her, too?"  
  
"I don't even need to answer that," said Haruka quietly. She put her hand back onto Minako's shoulder, guilt flooding through her as the younger woman trembled slightly. The touch was gentle, though, and Haruka continued. "We speak of Serenity as our only source of life. But I care about you just as much. All of you. Earth would not be home if Makoto-chan didn't exist, or if I never knew Rei-chan."  
  
"I know... I really do... but it just doesn't seem fair," murmured Minako. "Love. I watch Serenity and Endymion, how their lives have revolved around each other, and you and Michiru-san, your loyalty. It's possible to be together forever, and what about the rest of us?"  
  
"What?"  
  
Minako looked up at the moon in the noon-day sun, and stared at New Kinmoku... a new planet planted next to the ruins of an ancient civilization. A new born life next to the death. The eleventh planet of the solar system.  
  
"That's their home. Right there. I can almost touch it, Haruka-san. And knowing I can gaze at it everyday, it gives me some peace. Taiki will always be with Ami now, no matter what. Kakyuu-sama has her home now. No longer a drifting planet. We knew, somehow, they would always come back. They became our family too, somehow in all of this mess.  
  
"Once, I was the outsider to the senshi. But I was a part of the family after a while. Setsuna-san was an outsider... and now she has a place to stay, always. You, Michiru and Hotaru, it's all the same thing.  
  
"And now we have our four new family members. And if the only love I can ever have is in my family..."  
  
Tears welled up in her eyes, and Haruka looked slightly away. Minako gazed at Kinmoku and said sweetly, "I'm in love again, Haruka-san. And it hurts so much..."  
  
They looked at each other, and Minako whispered, "I've always wanted to know what your love was like. But the truth is, I know I'll never be able to. But please don't tell me to stay away from Yaten, because it's just like telling me to walk away from Serenity and never look back."  
  
Haruka was chilled by those words, and Minako smiled sadly and kissed the older woman on the cheek.  
  
"Yaten-chan!! I'm coming!!" she called down the walkway. The transformation was heartbreaking, and Haruka watched as Minako bounced down the path to her friend. She wasn't fooling anybody but herself, and that was the saddest part.  
  
Haruka joined her lover and they watched the two girls leave the palace grounds.  
  
"I hope you weren't too harsh on her," said Michiru.  
  
"How could I when she already beats herself up ten times worse?"  
  
"She's in love with Yaten?"  
  
Haruka nodded.  
  
"Poor girl," whispered Michiru, and they entered the palace.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"Puu!!"  
  
"...Small Lady!"  
  
The child ran to the guardian of time, and Pluto knelt so they could see eye to eye. Pluto gazed at Chibi-Usa's face worriedly, and then gently brushed the princess' bangs away from her eyes.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Something weird is going on at the palace! I needed to get out of there as quick as I could. It's nuts."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Jupiter-san's feeding the Taiki clone." Chibi-Usa wrinkled her nose in disgust. "With her FINGERS. Ick."  
  
Pluto laughed, and said, "I wish I could be there to see it."  
  
"Can't you?"  
  
Her laughter faded. "Small Lady, you know I need to stay here and take care of the gate."  
  
"Couldn't you just come to the celebration? One night only, that's it. Please? Pleaaaaase?"  
  
"I can't. I want to, but I can't."  
  
"But why? When you went into the past, nothing ever happened."  
  
"That was different. I'm waiting for someone now." There was a pause and the pink haired girl frowned.  
  
"Waiting for someone? I don't understand..."  
  
"I need to tell somebody very important a story." Pluto's face went slack. "Now go back to the palace. Your mother's waiting for you."  
  
"But Puu-"  
  
"I'm serious, Small Lady. Go."  
  
Chibi-Usa nodded her head, turned her back from the guardian, and started to walk away, but then turned her head to Pluto. "Please try to make it. It would mean so much to all of us."  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"I have to say," said Seiya. "Heaven's already here."  
  
"Really? Well, thank you so much," a warm, low voice broke the small circle.  
  
They all turned to see Haruka and Michiru walk towards them, their gowns shining against the setting sun. Haruka's dress was fitted high enough so she didn't have to pick up the skirt as she walked, but Michiru's was a hand full. Seiya couldn't understand how the princess of Neptune could ever move with such grace and dignity in that thing.  
  
"We must have missed something very important," said Michiru, and both women bowed deeply to their queen and king, and then to Kakyuu.  
  
"Haruka-san, Michiru-san..." Serenity held their hands. "It's so good to see you again! You never visit."  
  
"It's envy." Michiru smiled. "The palace is too wonderful to stay long in."  
  
"We decided now would be the best time to come."  
  
"Have you seen the others?" asked the queen of Earth.  
  
"Minako and Yaten left the palace just as we came in..."  
  
"It's the first time I've seen Yaten wear a skirt," added Haruka.  
  
Seiya looked at Taiki and grinned. "Seems like you're the only one left, dude."  
  
Kakyuu stifled a giggle, and Taiki blanched, staring at the black haired woman helplessly.  
  
Endymion looked around and then said, "Looks like pretty soon everybody will be pressuring me to change into a woman." 


	9. Catastrophe

Tension of the Past  
Part 9  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Just like that, and they died. It felt as if we would live forever, each and every one of us together eternally. How very wrong I was... how could I have ever known that after two millennia of peace... it would all come crashing down again?  
  
I know how to survive, to live on my own now. I'm not afraid to face the future by myself. Eternal Sailor Moon helped me discover that. And somewhere, out there, my friends are alive... as stars? As people? As energy moving throughout the universe? As deities watching over me? I will never know, I am sure.  
  
I've forgotten who they were... those people I spent every waking moment loving. I see faces and smiles, and remember their deaths... but I've forgotten how they were as just people...Maybe... just maybe if I remembered...  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Luna and Serenity watched as Artemis circled the royal balcony for the fifth time.  
  
"You could just go and find her," said Luna after a while.  
  
"It's not like her to ignore me!" he cried. "Something's wrong."  
  
"She has a lot on her mind right now," said Serenity.  
  
"She could still welcome me back. Is this what nearly 920 years of loyalty brings?"  
  
"Minako's been this way to all of us. Don't take it personally, it's something she needs to change in herself."  
  
Artemis groaned, and then jumped onto the bench flopping down in between the queen and her cat. Serenity rubbed the discouraged kitty's ears as Luna snuggled in next to Artemis, and the queen of Earth sighed.  
  
Minako... I hope you find what you're looking for soon. It's hurting all of us... I'm missing you.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"So how come I'm not seeing any Minako Aino ads?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
The two women walked through Crystal Tokyo's busiest square, moving slowly down the sidewalk, looking at shops, and heading back to the palace. The city looked completely different, and yet nothing seemed to change. There were still clothing stores, book stores, flower shops, small restaurants. But there was a sense of peace to it all. No one seemed worried or angry. Laughter and the sounds of happy voices filled Yaten's ears, and it was a pleasant shock to feel such a low level of negativity.  
  
"Shouldn't I see your face on magazines and commercials?" Yaten asked. "Being an idol WAS your dream, wasn't it?"  
  
"Oh. Yes, it was for a long time. It never happened, though." She didn't look too sorry about it either.  
  
"But you did say your were an idol."  
  
"Crystal Tokyo started to appear so quickly. By the time we finished high school we were nearly always in our henshined form, and Usagi-chan couldn't transform into Sailor Moon. She needed all of our protection. There was no time to think about anything except her and the city... you understand how that is."  
  
Yaten nodded. Nine years of fear and paranoia. And then there was nothing left to do.  
  
"I don't feel disappointed anymore," she continued. "Nobody was able to fulfill their dreams except Usagi... but somehow, we made it through. Makoto-chan planted the Gardens, and she's the head chef. Ami-chan's the head of the science department and the royal doctor. Rei-chan has her own shrine in the palace, and before Crystal Tokyo started she voice acted in a couple OAVs, but nothing really big. Serenity's done all she can to make us happy..."  
  
"How about you, though?"  
  
"Me?" Minako smiled briefly. "I'm nobody special... but Sailor Venus is."  
  
Minako looked at Yaten. "That's why I'm a super idol. I'm the one that leaves the palace most often. We've usually always been in our henshined form... There have been a few disasters and felonies around. Sailor Venus took care of them all."  
  
And sure enough, as they rounded a corner, there was a small store with the name of "Venus Dreams", the window filled with Sailor Venus merchandise. Costumes, chains, dolls, notebooks, cards, pens, patches, manga, clothes and other smaller things were stuffed into that small space. On closer inspection there were even flyers for classes on using Venus' fighting techniques. Both Yaten and Minako scowled at that. What a way to reveal yourself to the enemy.  
  
"I don't know how it started. The only reason I had ended those crimes had been a coincidence. I was just there. They think I'm some hero." She sighed. "It's ironic to think that Sailor V and Venus could be instant hits... but Aino Minako is always ten steps behind."  
  
"You can't say that," said Yaten. "You're all the same person."  
  
"Then why don't I feel like the same person in each form?"  
  
A group of young men walked passed them, and trying to be polite, they kept their heads straight forward, but Damnit! It was hard not to stare at a silver haired chick that looked that hot.  
  
"Plus, I'm not pretty enough," she said, her depression deepening as she watched the men ignore her.  
  
"That is not true."  
  
"Of course it is."  
  
"It's not."  
  
"You don't have to lie to me. I know the truth."  
  
"Will you stop beating yourself up?!" shouted Yaten. "You're gorgeous!"  
  
Minako stopped walking and looked at Yaten. The air intensified, and neither woman could hardly breathe. "Do you really think so, Yaten?"  
  
There was such desperation in her eyes, such a need to be recognized.  
  
"I really do think so," Yaten murmured. "I always thought nobody could ever look quite like you."  
  
There was a small silence before they both turned slightly away from each other, each embarrassed by Yaten's words.  
  
"Say... do you want to go the Crown? Motoki still stops by on weekends sometimes. Maybe we'll catch him."  
  
"Motoki?"  
  
"Come on." Minako grinned. "You'll love it! I've missed video games so much! Nobody can beat me at Sailor V Suckerpunch Love!"  
  
"Was that the virtual game I saw the other day?"  
  
"Heck, yeah! Ami made it for me as a birthday present. It was only right that I should share the entertainment. I've had the highest score for fifty years. Nobody can top it."  
  
"Wanna bet?"  
  
"Okay," Minako made a sly smile. "If I beat you, you have to sing to me in front of... Venus Dreams. AND you have to be dressed up as... um..." She put a finger to her lips as she searched the sky. "Got it! I still have that costume I wore during that one idol contest that you were a judge in. You'll wear that."  
  
"Oh God."  
  
"Your turn."  
  
"If I beat you..." Yaten leaned forward and looked straight into her eyes. "You need to tell me what you've been hiding. And you have to tell me EVERYTHING. If you don't, then I will make sure that everybody will know and you'll have sixteen people on your butt, trying to get the rest of your secret out of you. They love you enough to do that."  
  
Stunned, Minako breathed, "You can't do that."  
  
"You need to tell somebody, Minako. You're only hurting yourself if you keep it inside."  
  
"I have to tell Mako-chan first."  
  
"Then you better win."  
  
And with that, they walked to the Crown, Minako too devastated to speak, and Yaten too disturbed at her words to say anything. She didn't know how those words had come out of her mouth... she had meant for them to be light and just as ridiculous as Minako's...  
  
The severity of the stakes were forgotten, though, when they put on the goggles and screamed insults at the virtual monsters that came to attack them. If anybody knew that Sailor V was actually playing a game of herself AND her high kick wasn't as good as it used to be... she'd be in trouble.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"She's beautiful, isn't she?" asked Haruka as they watched the queen discretely as she sat on the bench on the balcony facing the Crystal Gardens. The princess of Uranus leaned against a pillar, and looked to the woman she was talking to.  
  
"I have to admit, I was surprised how much she had changed," answered Seiya.  
  
Haruka smirked. "Serenity has become the most brilliant star in the universe, and she grows brighter every day." Seiya frowned at the trap Uranus was trying to get her into.   
  
It was the strangest thing for Seiya to have to fight the urge to call the women by their planet origins. Haruka was looking more and more like a woman befitting the name "Uranus", "Michiru" came only second after "Neptune". But the most obvious one was Serenity.  
  
It was unthinkable now to call her Usagi, unless it was referred to the past. Seiya doubted Serenity would mind being called her birth name... but it didn't seem right to do it. Just as Mamoru was now Endymion.   
  
The only person she felt comfortable calling by her civilian name was Minako. She had always been two distinguishable egos. Minako and Sailor Venus. The others had turned into a blend, some more so than the others. Serenity and Endymion more than anyone, the outer senshi more than the inner senshi, and Mars and Jupiter more than Ami and Minako. See? She was doing it again.  
  
But right now Haruka was ticking her off.  
  
"Come on, you can't even say she's more beautiful than your queen?"  
  
"What about you? Will you say to Michiru her queen is a hundred times more beautiful than her?"  
  
"You admit it then?"  
  
"I don't need this," said Seiya and stood up to walk away.  
  
"You haven't forgotten her, have you?" said Haruka as the alien walked away. "Go on, Seiya, run away. It's the only thing you can do, anyway, isn't it?"  
  
Seiya stopped walking and turned on her heels, staring at the woman. "What happened to you? Why are you being like this?"  
  
The two women met face to face, inches from each other, the heat from their bodies bouncing off each other.   
  
"If you ruin my world, I will never forgive you. I see that look in your eyes when you watch her. It hasn't died away, this 'love' you've had for my queen, has it?"  
  
"Fine. You want me to say it?" sneered Seiya, her face flushing with anger. "Serenity is the most beautiful woman in the universe. She outshines the brightest star in the universe. No one can compare to her. She blocks out all sight of anything else. Does that make you happy? Does it? That I've said it? Has the sky opened up for you, and given you what you've always wanted?"  
  
The alien soldier watched coldly as Uranus' face turned subtly to shame. Haruka opened her mouth to speak, but a whisper of a voice stopped her.  
  
"...Seiya...?"  
  
Both women stopped cold, and Seiya knew her world had ended by the look of horror on Haruka's face.  
  
No...   
  
"Seiya..." it was a mournful plea now, and the black haired senshi turned and locked eyes with her queen, her lover, her life.   
  
No...  
  
"Kakyuu," she breathed. The queen leaned against a pillar to support herself, her knuckles white with her grip, her face pale as she tried to take in air, as she tried to look away from Seiya, tried to show some sort of composure... but everything failed her. Seiya had killed her. Had taken a sledge hammer to her heart and gave no mercy. Kakyuu laid a hand on her chest, and closed her eyes.  
  
"Is... is what you said-"  
  
"-Kakyuu, that wasn't-"  
  
"-Is what you said true?"  
  
"Kakyuu-"  
  
"-Is it? Does she really-?" She was hysterical now, her body moving away from pillar and then back again, undecided where to place her limbs, and finally she pushed away from the crystal, and staggered back, when Seiya rushed to her. "No. Don't touch me. Don't come near me..."  
  
The alien soldier opened her arms, trying to embrace her, but the queen pushed away from her and fled, rushing down the halls, into the interior of the palace.  
  
Seiya stood there, dumb-founded, and watched as her life ran away with her lover.  
  
"Seiya...I-"  
  
"No. Don't say a word," murmured Seiya. "Please..." and ran after the queen.  
  
Haruka turned away in the opposite direction and looked at Michiru who only stared at her.   
  
"Haruka..." whispered Michiru. "What have you done?"  
  
Haruka couldn't meet her gaze.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Such pain in her heart. Such indescribable pain. A heart destroyed. Such a beautiful heart destroyed.  
  
Yaten's knees failed her as they entered the palace.  
  
"YATEN!" Minako dropped down and caught Yaten before the woman completely collapsed. Yaten clutched Minako's arms tightly, and buried her head in her shoulder, a scream of anguish muffled by her gentle skin. Tears of confusion rushed into Minako's eyes, as the pain in the woman's heart matched her own.  
  
"She's coming..." and Yaten lifted her head and stared at Minako in fear. "My queen..."  
  
"YATEN!" The silver hair slapped against Minako's face as the woman in her arms stood up and spun around to the voice.  
  
Star Healer rushed to her queen, and would have the first chance to hold her in her arms ever in her life. Each woman's heart rushed to the same beat, and Yaten led Kakyuu to her room, not even giving Minako a glance as they walked up the steps.  
  
Minako sat there, bewildered, and watched as Seiya slid down the hallway with less grace than she had ever had before, frantic... but stopped when she saw the fallen princess in the middle of the hallway. The blonde woman pointed to the stairs, and Seiya started to go up them.  
  
"KAAAKYUUUUU!!!!!"  
  
"Stay away."  
"Yaten."  
"Stay away. Come near her, and you will pay the consequences."  
"Yaten, you don't understand! You don't understand! Yaten? Yaten! YATEN!"  
  
Star Fighter smashed a fist into the wall in frustration, and groaned in agony, but did not make any move to go up the steps. She hung her head, and out of her eye, she caught a glimpse of yellow movement, and saw Minako as she struggled to get up. She had twisted her ankle on the fall, and she grimaced as she realized she had nothing to hold on to. Seiya walked to her and held out a hand.  
  
"We've both been left in the dust..." she murmured, and Minako took it, pushed herself, and clung to Seiya, the two women moving in the opposite directions of their hearts. 


	10. Healing

Tension of the Past  
Part 10  
*~*~*~*  
  
I lost the bet... how could I have done such a thing? Was I too distracted? Too worried? I don't know what went wrong... I'm going to be so humiliated.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"N-no more... please... I don't think I can eat anything after that."  
  
"Ah, come on. Just one more bite."  
  
"I... I really don't think..."  
  
"Just one more, and that's it, I promise. I made all of this just for you... you don't want to hurt my feelings, do you?"  
  
"If it would get me out of this..."  
  
"Tsk, tsk, Taiki. Where are your manners? Open wide!"  
  
"Woman, I said no!"  
  
"EXCUSE me?"  
  
"I mean... BEAUTIFUL woman... I said no thank you!"  
  
"...That's what I thought. Now open up."  
  
"..."  
  
"I can't believe Rei-san left before it got to this point."  
  
"Watching Aunt Makoto hand feed him must have really disgusted her."  
  
"Actually... she was blushing when she left."  
  
"Jealousy, you think?"  
  
"Bulls eye. I don't know... there is something really romantic about feeding somebody with your hands though."  
  
"R-really?"  
  
"Oh yeah... remember that, Ichigo-kun, when you find the right girl."  
  
"T-thank you, Hotaru-san. I-I will."  
  
"Good, Taiki-kun?"  
  
"Surprisingly... it tastes different than the others... much more rich in flavor... the texture is incredibly subtle. And the after taste... It's... it's..."  
  
"Orgasmic?"  
  
"Aunt Makoto!"  
  
"Sorry, sorry."  
  
"Um... do you think it would be possible to uncuff me? No? I thought as much. But actually, I was going to say superior than anything I had ever tasted before."  
  
"You sure know how to reach a lady's heart."  
  
"Hmph. Well..."  
  
"Are you blushing?"  
  
"Certainly not!"  
  
"I think you are! What do you think, kids?"  
  
"I'd say he is."  
  
"I agree with Ichigo-kun."  
  
"It's only the heat!"  
  
"Nah, it was a blush."  
  
"Quiet, boy!"  
  
"What's with all this modesty all of a sudden, Taiki? You certainly weren't exactly... tactful in your advances in the Garden."  
  
"Yes... well, remind me never to drink that brand of sake again."  
  
"You shouldn't have been drinking it in the first place."  
  
"Forgive me."  
  
"Forgiven."  
  
"Thank you. Now, what was in the pastry you gave me?"  
  
"Can't tell you. It's a secret... d-don't give me that face... please... oh fine! Damn!"  
  
"Can you here what she's whispering?"  
  
"No... but Taiki's turning blue..."  
  
"Uh-oh..."  
  
"HE'S GONNA BLOW!"  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
A horrendous scream echoed through the halls from the kitchen, curdling the blood of all who heard.  
  
"Wow," said Makoto, rubbing her ears once the ringing stopped. "Now I know you have NO sense of humor."  
  
"THAT WAS BEYOND INHUMANE!" screamed the Taiki clone.  
  
"Lighten up will ya? It was a joke!"  
  
"Must have been an incredibly bad one," muttered Hotaru.  
  
"Really, it was only sugar, pasted rice, and a little food coloring." Makoto held out another pastry.  
  
"Get away from me, hag! Back off!"  
  
"WHAT did you call me?"  
  
"HAG! OLD WOMAN! ANCIENT FEMALE! AWAY!"  
  
"So NOW you show your true colors. All right, it's back to the cage with you, my boy."  
  
"What? Never!"  
  
"Hey! You're mine for life, remember? Now up."  
  
"I don't remember making any agreement such as that!"  
  
"I have witnesses."  
  
Ichigo and Hotaru both nodded.  
  
"I don't believe it!"  
  
"WHAT IS GOING ON?!"  
  
Makoto, Taiki01, Ichigo, and Hotaru all turned to look at the princess of Mercury and the original Taiki as they stood at the doorway.   
  
"G-gomen nasai, Ami-san," stuttered Hotaru.  
  
"Is everything alright?" asked Taiki.  
  
The Taiki clone couldn't take his eyes off of his original. Locking eyes, they carefully watched each other, the free man and the captive, each wondering what was going through the other's minds.  
  
"Everything's fine," said the clone, disbelieving that he was actually speaking to this man. The original Taiki nodded.  
  
"What happened?" asked Ami.  
  
"Well... um..."  
  
Makoto and the Taiki clone stared at each other, words passing between them soundlessly, both reaching the same agreement.  
  
Taiki blushed and coughed, clearing his throat. "We um... saw a rat..."  
  
"A rat..." repeated Ami, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"A really ugly rat," added Makoto.  
  
"Had lots of pustules," continued Taiki01. "Extremely disgusting."  
  
"In fact... THERE IT IS!!!"  
  
Makoto, flailing her arms, stared at Ichigo and Hotaru, and after a few seconds of blinking, they jumped onto the counters, and let out all they could.  
  
"SAVE ME!" cried Ichigo in a falsetto, and Hotaru burst into a hysterical fit, crying about a rat being possessed by the devil. Taiki started babbling on about a child-hood fear of rodents, and Makoto stopped screaming, breathed in deeply, making use of those powerful lungs, and screamed again, shaking the windows.  
  
When it was all over, they looked back at the couple. Taiki started clapping, and Ami could only blink.  
  
The four performers hung their heads, and went back to their original places, the Taiki clone having a bit of trouble without being able to use his hands, but did a very lovely job of crashing to the floor. After some cursing from the clone and giggling from the girls, everything was back to normal.  
  
"So... um... yeah," said Ichigo. "It must have gotten away. Stupid rat."  
  
"Well, then," said the original Taiki, and waved it off. "I'm sure it'll show up later."  
  
"What smells so good?" asked Ami, changing the cornered subject.  
  
"Preparations for the celebration!" said Makoto happily. "I was giving Taiki... um..." she pointed in the clone's direction, flushing slightly as Taiki01 lowered his gaze to staring at the counter. "I was giving him some tastes of the appetizers when we saw... the... rat. But it's coming well! All of the chefs are on a break right now... everything's just simmering. We're doing the cold stuff now. Tomorrow, though. Now that's the killer. Thank God I won't be in the kitchen for once."  
  
"Can I see what it is?" asked Ami.  
  
"Sure, why not? But nobody can tell Serenity or Endymion. Or Kakyuu-sama and Seiya for that matter, got it? It's a surprise."  
  
"Hai!" they all said, and moved to the stove.  
  
Taiki01's heart clenched, his throat closed. His muscles itched and his hands screamed to be released from their manacles. The bird needed to be freed! His clipped wings beat frantically, and desperately cried to be of use. His mind saw nothing but the sky and felt nothing but the wind and fresh air.  
  
"Where are you going?!" screamed Makoto, and grabbed him by the collar as the clone made a mad dash to the door, pulling him back to her at a strange angle and...   
  
*~*~*~*  
  
A horrendous scream echoed through the halls from the kitchen, curdling the blood of all who heard.  
  
"Taiki!" Makoto cried, pushing the clone away from the firing hot burner. "Oh! I'm so sorry! I didn't actually mean-Oh my God!"  
  
She un-cuffed his hands as quickly as she could, where instantly the clone hunched over, clasping his scalded hand, and sobbed in pain as the skin started to bubble.  
  
"Get him to the medical room now!" shouted Ami, and both she and Makoto ran him out of the kitchen, the original Taiki opening the door way as wide as he could, and the rest ran after the wounded captive.  
  
"What happened?!" cried Rei as they flew past her, and the thought I'm always the last to find out!! flashed through her mind as she raced after them.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Leaning against Seiya, Minako made her way down to the medical room, trying to ignore the feeling of Yaten's tears drying on her neck, or feeling the strong body next to her, supporting her.  
  
"You're putting too much weight on your leg," said Seiya. "It's okay, I'm strong enough to carry you, if you want."  
  
"N-no!" she cried. "I can walk on my own... really."  
  
But she crumpled when she pressed her twisted leg into the floor.  
  
"Minako no baka," Seiya murmured affectionately as she gathered the woman and carried her the rest of the way. "You always try to do everything yourself."  
  
"So do you," Minako answered through clenched teeth, and finally, the hurt dissipated. Minako giggled lowly after a small while. "You know, I had imagined you carrying me like this on more than one occasion a while back."  
  
"Really, now," Seiya said, slightly distracted, her thoughts traveling to Kakyuu.   
  
"Yeah... I hadn't quite expected... those, though."  
  
"Huh? Oh... yeah." Seiya blushed, and Minako leaned her head in the crook of Seiya's neck, her own neck hurting from trying to keep the woman's chest from brushing against her. Ah, what the hell. They made nice pillows anyway.  
  
"So what were the occasions?" Seiya asked, now in the moment.  
  
"Hmm? Oh well, our wedding day... at the beach... you know, the usual situations a love sick girl thinks about."  
  
Seiya chuckled. "Are you sure it was me?"  
  
"You can't quite imagine Taiki or Yaten doing it, could you?"  
  
"You'd actually be surprised. But I do see your point. You've never been carried like this before? Down from the alter?"  
  
"Well, I might have been," Minako whispered quietly. "There was a time, very long ago... but that's done with now. There was never a chance really for anything to start..."  
  
"I'm sorry to hear that, Minako-san."  
  
"Me too..."  
  
They reached the door to the medical room, and Seiya stopped.  
  
"Do... do you know what happened?" she asked hesitantly.  
  
"I think I got it," answered Minako. "I won't tell anybody though, okay?"  
  
"Thank you," Seiya said, extremely relieved.  
  
"Y-you do love your queen, don't you?" asked Minako.  
  
"Yes... very much."  
  
"Don't lose that, Seiya. Don't let that be destroyed."  
  
Seiya swerved her body, bending down so she could reach the knob. It unlatched, but didn't quite open all the way, and with a small kick, the door swung open revealing a room packed with people.  
  
"Taiki, I'm telling you, you have to let go of the pain. That's the only way this will work"  
  
"This is incredible, this technology..."  
  
"Yeah. It's pretty convenient. We found a way to use the crystal's thought form resonance to increase the speed in healing physically. The liquid is actually from the melted crystal streams that have been forming in the forests near by."  
  
There was a small cough, and all heads turned to stare at Minako in Seiya's arms, except for a whimpering Taiki clone in the middle, his scorched hand in a deep clear cylindrical bowl of boiling liquid that seemed to change in color slightly with each roll. His eyes saw nothing but white flashes.  
  
"What happened?" asked Minako.  
  
"His hand got burned," said Makoto. "What happened to you?"  
  
"Slipped... twisted my ankle."  
  
Ami immediately got another large cylinder out, attached it to a small tube by a chair next to the Taiki clone, and Minako carefully moved down into the chair, slipping out of the alien's arms.  
  
"Can I see your ankle?"  
  
"Yeah." Minako lifted up her long skirts to her knee, and Ami delicately lifted the ankle, watching carefully as Minako bit her lip to ignore the pain.   
  
"This isn't bad," said Ami, and turned on a switch by the tube, watching as the strange liquid came out, and regulated the temperature. "You're lucky. You've done this before, so you'll be out of here quickly."  
  
Minako sighted in relief and looked at Seiya. "Thank you so much for all your help. You don't have to stay here if you don't want to."  
  
She shook her head and said, "I don't know where I would go."  
  
"I can show you around," said Hotaru. "You haven't seen the training hall, have you?"  
  
Seiya brightened up. "No, I haven't."  
  
"Great, I'll take you around!"  
  
"I'll go too," said Ichigo, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him from leaving with Seiya and his object of affection. Turning, he looked to see the original Taiki.  
  
"Actually, I wanted to talk to you," his low voice said.  
  
Swallowing, Ichigo shrugged, and father and son left.  
  
"Come, on Taiki. You have to let go... yeah, it hurts, I know it does," soothed Makoto. "And I'm really sorry I did this to you, but just acknowledge the pain, and tell your hand to start healing."  
  
Taiki only groaned. Minako though, closed her eyes, and wincing slightly as she placed her slender leg into the water, and began to speak to her ankle.  
  
The first few times she had done it, she never quite healed exactly because of her embarrassment of the situation. Talking to a wound. Hah. What a stupid thing to do. But over time, she had learned it actually did work, and deep gashes could heal in hours.  
  
She felt the tender muscles slowly shift to the places they had earlier felt comfortable in, felt the bruises slowly heal, the discoloring of her skin begin to return to the natural pale color.  
  
A realization came to her, and her thoughts drifted to the Taiki clone beside her. He could never heal quickly, because he was too caught up in the pain... was this how she was with her life? Yes. Yes it was. And just knowing that made it a little easier to look back on what had been... not much, but a tiny bit.  
  
Finally, she opened her eyes, looked at Rei and grinned happily.  
  
"What are you so cheerful about?" asked Rei, surprised  
  
"I don't know," said Minako, and stood up, testing her ankle, and satisfied at her healing job. "How long has it been?"  
  
"About fifteen minutes," said Ami. Minako felt even better. Looking at the Taiki clone made her heart sink though, and she stared at his hand... no longer black, more of a deep purple now, but that was all she could see with the rolling water clouding his form.  
  
"Let's train," said Minako. "We've been slacking off way too much!"  
  
"What are you talking about?" said Makoto.  
  
"Just because we have Divine Protection doesn't mean we can't keep in shape," answered Minako. "I don't know... I just have this urge to kick somebody's butt."  
  
"Uh-oh, a power-surge coming on?"  
  
"As leader of the protectors of the queen, I order you to fight me!"  
  
"I'm staying here with Taiki," said Makoto, but Ami looked at her and shook her head.  
  
"I need to talk with him," she murmured. "Go on, I know you've been wanting to use the training hall lately."  
  
Makoto reluctantly agreed, and walked away with Rei and Minako.  
  
"Well, just be prepared to get completely humiliated by my awesome power!"  
  
"Are you serious? You can't beat me!"  
  
"We'll see about that! I could beat both of you single handedly."  
  
"Wanna bet?"  
  
"N-no! Please! Too many bets today!"   
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Once Ami made sure she was alone with the Taiki clone, she locked the door, and moved silently to his side.  
  
"Taiki..."  
  
The clone groaned, and Ami placed a hand to his cheek. Finally, the dazed man looked up, squinting his eyes, and tried to say, "What do you want?" but it was slurred too much to be comprehensible. Ami got the idea, though.  
  
"I... I just wanted to tell you that... that I'm sorry... for what I did to you... I mean... making you, really. I know you must hate me for everything. The way I treated you like an experiment..."  
  
Taiki rolled his eyes backward, and Ami couldn't tell whether he did it in pain or as an insult. She drove the panic down, and continued. "You didn't deserve to be locked up. We didn't know how to deal with you. You had so many emotions and not enough time to learn how to use them in a way that would be healthy. I... shouldn't have imprisoned. I should have taught you what you needed to know... I thought you would be like the Taiki I had known before... but I realize you are a completely different person... you're not evil... you're just angry and confused. And we didn't listen to that."  
  
"Eh..."  
  
"So... I'm going to release you."  
  
"Huh?" His eyes sharpened now, and Ami smiled, touching Taiki's free hand. The clone was too stunned to move away.  
  
"You're free. I hope though, that you'll decide to stay in the palace for a while to learn everything you'll need to know to live in the outside world."  
  
"I..." he blinked rapidly, trying to think if it was the truth or if she was playing a cruel joke. "Are... are you serious?"  
  
"Yes, of course," she said frowning slightly. "I wouldn't lie about something like this."  
  
"I... I'm free...?"  
  
"Yes... Taiki..." She flushed slightly. "We won't object if you change your name. I've talked it over with Serenity and Endymion last night, and they agreed if you kept in line, there was no need to keep you locked up."  
  
The lock on his heart exploded, the soul flying out in all directions. Gone was the sense of constriction! Of hopelessness! He was free! What light! What vision!  
  
He took his hand out of the cylinder and stared in wonderment at it being completely healed. He turned his gaze to the smiling woman. His creator, his mother... a woman he had never understood before, had never tried to understand. He still didn't, only understood, that in some unfortunate act of insanity, he was alive.  
  
"Thank you," he said. "But, I think I can manage. As strange as it might seem, I think I know how to handle my emotions when I want to."  
  
"So you're leaving already?"  
  
"I think that would be the best thing to do. For me, but also for you and your man... and Ichigo." Ami nodded in understanding. "You know... I really can't be angry at you for making me... you did give me life. And I can't resent him either... if it wasn't for him..."  
  
"Taiki..."  
  
"That's not my name," he said quietly and happily. "Call me... Taka..." Hawk.  
  
He laughed merrily, and opened the door, only to have three women crash into him, sending him sprawling onto the floor.  
  
"Sorry!" cried Rei. "Minako left her bag!"  
  
"The door was locked!" said Minako. "We were only there for three minutes!"  
  
Taka couldn't hear anything as he stared into the eyes of Makoto, lying directly on top of him.  
  
"Well, Taka," she said, slightly shocked. "Congrats on being released."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
She smirked slightly and rolled off of him, dusting herself off.   
  
"You still owe me a date, though."  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"So..."  
  
"So..."  
  
They sat on the bench in the crystal gardens, father and son together at last, and Taiki had nothing to say. Well, he did, but had no idea how to say it. Ichigo had toyed with the idea of looking into the heart of this strange man, to have some knowledge at what he was longing to say... and yet he didn't. It was like that with Hotaru, he was too afraid of what was there... of rejection. But it was also a violation to their personal space. No person with Ichigo's power should ever pry open a heart unless it is given to him, and he usually lived by that honor.  
  
"You probably know I'm your real father," said Taiki more for himself than to his son.  
  
"I figured as much," said Ichigo quietly.   
  
There was another long silence, and finally Ichigo looked up.  
  
"Can I ask you a question?"  
  
"Yes, of course."  
  
"Did... did you know Mom was going to have me when you left?"  
  
Taiki sighed, and stared at the ground. "Do you want the truth?"  
  
"Yes!" he cried.  
  
"She never told me..." An exhale of relief and pain reached Taiki's ears. "... But I knew."  
  
They looked at each other and Taiki repeated: "I knew..."  
  
"Then why? Why didn't you stay?!"  
  
"My queen needed me, I needed to rebuild our planet, to begin again."  
  
"You could have begun again here!" But Taiki shook his head.  
  
"It's not the same. Yes, I could have stayed. Yes, I probably should have asked her. Your mother could never lie. But I needed to be with my own planet, to be around those who knew me truly. I needed to be with my people again. Even if I lived here for a thousand years, I would be a stranger. Just as your mother would be on my planet. I'm not trying to sound so cold, it's just the truth... saying nothing about your birth made it possible for me to leave. Ami understood that."  
  
"I don't believe you!" he cried. "She talked so much of you! How you were this great guy who always cared and understood everything!"  
  
"I can't understand everything! It's impossible! But you have to try to realize, I'm here now!"  
  
"How do I know you're not going to leave again?"  
  
"You don't," said Taiki, and stood up, putting a hand on Ichigo's shoulder. "I don't know what the future brings... but you have to understand, I love your mother will all my soul. You are my son, and I will always take care of you."  
  
Ichigo closed his eyes.  
  
"I can't say I won't be angry if you leave," said Ichigo. "But I can't say I will be either."  
  
"Nothing ever goes the way you plan," agreed Taiki, and lowered himself, hugging his child. "I barely know you, but I want to catch up on lost time... I want to be a good father figure to you."  
  
"Figure?" asked Ichigo, and stared as Taiki's face slid into incredibly feminine features, a raw beauty, purple eyes full of silent power, and a quiet gaze. Ichigo stepped back, slightly. "T-that's right... you're a woman..."  
  
"Complicated, isn't it?" said Taiki, her voice heightening slightly in pitch, but still with a soft rumble.   
  
Ichigo managed a nod. "A-are you going to stay that way?"  
  
"What's wrong with it?" Taiki looked down, brushing dirt off her suit. "Is it too strange to have a woman as your father?"  
  
"Not too strange," said Ichigo. "I mean, Haruka's always seemed like an uncle to me... does Mom know?"  
  
Taiki nodded. Ichigo shrugged, and laughed nervously.  
  
"Everything's so weird... but I guess I'll have to get used to it."  
  
"I have a feeling that tonight everything will fit into place," answered his mother... or father.  
  
"I hope so," grumbled Ichigo.  
  
"What about Hotaru?" asked Taiki as they walked down the path, back into the palace. "Did you ask her to go to the ball with you yet?"  
  
"No..." he said quietly. "The other Taiki botched it."  
  
"Aah," she said.  
  
"You don't feel weird, knowing Mom made a clone of you?"   
  
"I understand why," Taiki answered. "I think, though, it's a question for him, not me. There will be more time to reflect on that... right now I just want to talk about you."  
  
"Me?"  
  
"Yes. How do you feel being the only other man in the palace besides Endymion?"  
  
"There's Artemis, too," reminded Ichigo. "But it's not so bad. Aunt Rei keeps on staring at me, though. That's kind of unnerving, but other than that, it's okay. Girls at school keep on talking about how sensitive I am."  
  
"Why the scowl? Girls love that."  
  
"And that's why they feel they can tell all their hearts secrets?"  
  
"I think that's a very good thing to do, to listen to them," she answered. "Very noble. Wait a few years, you'll be a heart throb."  
  
"I've been waiting 900 years to be a babe magnet."  
  
Taiki smiled, and stared as the boy's features changed ever so slightly.   
  
"Just wait," she whispered. "It might not be as long as you think..."  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"Shh... Kakyuu... it's all right now... I'm here..."  
  
The queen, still a princess in her guardians' eyes, sobbed against Yaten's shoulder as they sat on the bed, a bed both she and Seiya shared, had kissed in... had caressed in...  
  
Yaten swallowed in pain, but held her princess, stroking her long red hair, whispering in her ear, embracing her gently, until finally the tears dissipated. For a few minutes, there was nothing but silence, as Yaten held her, thinking about what might have been... what could be...  
  
"Where... where is she now?" whispered the queen. "What is she feeling?"  
  
"Forget about her, Kakyuu-hime. Please. Just forget about her..."  
  
"Please, Yaten... tell me."  
  
"I... I... " Those pleading eyes tore through her heart, and reluctantly Yaten opened her emotional gate, felt through the palace, searching for that familiar aura, and finally found it, co-mingling with another. Minako.  
  
She had left Minako alone. But it didn't matter. Not when her princess needed her. Nothing mattered except Kakyuu. Nothing... and yet...  
  
Yaten swallowed and started to speak when someone knocked on the door. Kakyuu's head shot up at the tentative sound, and a soft voice made its way to their ears.  
  
"Hello? Kakyuu-sama? Yaten-san?"  
  
Kakyuu nodded and then rushed behind the dressing screen, hidden from sight, and Yaten walked over to the door, opening it, revealing Michiru in the hallway. Behind her was Haruka, staring into the room, face void of emotion, and yet her mind was fixed in worry.  
  
"If it is at all possible, Haruka would like to speak with your queen."  
  
"Kakyuu?"  
"I...I don't think I can..."  
  
"She's not available right now," answered Yaten. "Maybe sometime later..."  
  
Michiru nodded, and moved out of the way so Yaten could shut the door, but before the latch had clicked shut, a hand stopped it from completely closing. Yaten opened it wide again and looked at Haruka as the tall woman tried to control her emotions.  
  
"Yaten," she pleaded lowly. "I have to speak with her... it's about Seiya."  
  
"Don't ever say that name in front of me again," Yaten hissed, and began to shut the door, but Haruka kept it open. "What do you think you're doing?"  
  
"I... I..." Haruka turned back to Michiru, who only stood there giving her no reassurance, and the blonde woman sighed heavily. "Damnit... I know those things I said to you before, outside... weren't exactly the best things to say..." Yaten snorted, and Haruka scowled. "Look, I'm trying to apologize, alright? It's something I do rarely."  
  
Yaten waved it off, and Haruka's hand clutched into a fist.  
  
"I'm sorry. Okay? I've been keeping this hate for all of you inside me since Ami's kid was born. I thought my judgment of you had been so false, that I had trusted you at such a crucial time... and thought all of you had been betraying us behind our backs. I made a mistake, keeping this contempt for you for so long... not giving you a chance at all... and I... made a mistake... goading her into saying those things..."  
  
She looked into the room then, and said louder, "Your Majesty, if you'll listen to me... I don't even know if what Seiya said was true... I really don't. This is my fault. I take all the blame. But, please, no matter what happens... keep this alliance with us. Lives depend on this joining... I... I really am so sorry..."  
  
She looked to Yaten, nodded and walked away, joining her partner down the hall. The silver haired alien watched them for a moment before closing the door quietly, and turned to face her queen who had stepped out from the screen.  
  
"She knew I was thinking of breaking the alliance..."  
  
"I understand why you would... but it's not like you to destroy a diplomatic situation out of personal matters." Kakyuu nodded in agreement. "So... what are you going to do?"  
  
"I have no choice," she said. "Really, if I wanted to, I still couldn't break it. It's too soon."  
  
Yaten sighed, and only later would she realize it was in relief.  
  
"Does... does she still love her?"  
  
There was a small silence and Yaten turned slightly away. "Queen... honestly I don't know. I feel love from her, but love is always the same I've come to learn. The essence of it is always... love. I can't differentiate. I've tried so hard in another situation... so many times... but I've never been able to find out, which love was which."  
  
"Yaten..." The silent sweep of clothing reached Yaten's ears, and startled, she felt soft, warm lips press against her cheek, and arms wrap around her shoulders. "Is he a part of Kinmoku?"  
  
"Partly..." she breathed. "Actually... she is..."  
  
"Anybody would be insane not to fall in love with you," the queen replied.  
  
"She's already in love with another," said Yaten, and looked deeply into Kakyuu's eyes, brushing the queen's cheek with her fingertips. Kakyuu's eyes widened. "I won't destroy that."  
  
"And you haven't given up?"  
  
"I gave up long ago," she whispered. "But I will never stop loving her."  
  
"Shame on you." And the queen backed away. "To waste your love on something lost."  
  
"It's not my choice!"  
  
"It is your choice, Yaten. It is."  
  
Yaten looked away from the queen. "If I stop loving her, I'll never be able to love again."  
  
"You're wrong..." Kakyuu said. "You're too caught up in the pain."  
  
"It feels better than nothing. If I lost this... if I lose it all..."  
  
"It's time to move on, Yaten," her queen answered. "You have to let go. If the bridge has collapsed to get to the other side... you'll never reach your destination without finding another one."  
  
"And if I don't want to cross the bridge?"  
  
"Then what is the point in living?" Kakyuu crossed to the balcony glass doors, and looked through, into the garden. "I tore you away from the princess of Venus, didn't I?" Yaten shook her head. "She seems very kind."  
  
"One of the kindest people I know." Said Yaten. "She sacrificed her life for me."  
  
"She's also sad," the queen said more to herself.  
  
"Minako's been mourning all her life."  
  
"For who?"  
  
"Herself. She feels she'll never find love."  
  
"Hm." Kakyuu looked at Yaten and gave a wry smile. "Interesting."  
  
"Please don't think like that," Yaten said, wincing.  
  
"You seemed comfortable in her arms," teased the queen.  
  
"I didn't feel that way."  
  
"You've never closed yourself from me," Kakyuu said, remembering the intense grief that had swept through her. It gave her some consolation that Seiya might not have meant what she said... but it still hurt so much... "You must have been terrified. I'm sorry I've caused you so much pain."  
  
"Don't be." Yaten smiled sadly at her. "It was my choice." 


	11. Song

Tension of the Past  
Part 11  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
The next day...  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Minako stared at herself in the mirror, slowly swaying back and forth, watching with criticism the way her dress flowed. Layers and layers of yellow satin and silk flowing in fluttering waves, and still it didn't look right. A beautiful dress, the most beautiful she had ever seen, even Rei had been wowed, but it just didn't look good on her.   
  
What was up with these ugly thoughts all of a sudden? Why did she feel so terrible? The resolution to cheer up hadn't worked at all so far, and training with Makoto and Rei had only given her a temporary positive effect.  
  
She had glowed when she walked out of the bathing room, soaking the sweat from her skin with Rei, Makoto, Hotaru, and Seiya. With the pride of winning four battles in a row (but losing five... one didn't count though. She knew she had gone way over her head when she challenged a very fresh Seiya to a duel. But it gave her some consolation that Star Fighter left the hall in just as bad shape as Venus), there was a little bounce in her step, and each time she stared up at the sky she had to fight back laughing at the setting sun.   
  
But now? Now those nasty little thoughts were plaguing her mind, and she knew not to listen to them, but for some reason, she just let a small portion of her ears open to their words... she had to wonder, had to listen to those voices to get the entire picture. Yes she looked beautiful to some... but to others, how would they see her? How would Yaten see her?  
  
She flushed just at the thought of her... Minako still had to get to used to the fact that this was the first time she had ever fallen in love with a woman. There wasn't anything wrong with it... but it was still different. Somehow, watching Haruka and Michiru together, Minako had always known she needed that deep of a love, be it with a man or a woman... she just wanted that much of a connection. Remembering those words she had said, "It's shocking that Three Lights are girls! It's like my love has disappeared!" brought shame to her heart. If love was love, why did it have to come in specific forms? Doesn't one love the soul?  
  
Somebody knocked on the door, and Minako spun around, biting her lip. Was it her?  
  
"Minako-san?" called Seiya's voice.  
  
Puzzled, Minako walked to the door, and opened it slightly, making sure her gown was hidden from view.  
  
"Hey, Seiya-chan," she said. Seiya rose an eyebrow. "Need anything before the ball starts? It's about to begin..."  
  
"Yeah, um..." she made a quick look down the halls, and then said, "Actually, I need you."  
  
"Seiya!" she mock gasped. "You rat! You have a girlfriend!"  
  
"You know what I mean!" she flushed a bright red, and Minako waved it off.  
  
"Really, now?" Minako smiled with glee and then opened the door wide. "Sooo... what can Minako-sama do for a gorgeous gal like you?"  
  
*~*~*~*   
  
Kakyuu looked out of the balcony doors, up at the sky, watching with the corner of her eyes the setting sun, thinking how it had been so long since she and her people, had seen such a sky. Dark, dark blue fading into pink as it touched the horizon, the huge moon encircling the world with her arms...  
  
She could hear Yaten's soft breathing in the background, as her protector slept quietly in a chair, catching up on the rest she had missed before the celebration would start. Yaten had stayed by her side all day and all night, except for bringing meals and telling the royal family and their friends Kakyuu wasn't feeling well.  
  
Kakyuu knew Taiki didn't believe it, but she had refused to give her guardian an audience, telling the woman to enjoy her time with her family and celebrate... assuring her the queen of Kinmoku would join the ball later that night...  
  
But what disturbed her the most was the image of Yaten screaming in the arms of Sailor Venus. A woman so full of unwanted love, dying to have her affections returned... but what neither Venus nor Yaten realized, was that was the first time Yaten had ever readily embraced a person... ever.  
  
Yaten... you poor, poor girl... it's heartbreaking to know something you have to figure out for yourself.  
  
The woman stirred from her sleep and opened her eyes to her queen. Kakyuu turned and smiled, her ball gown shimmering in the glowing light. "Did you sleep well?"  
  
"Y-yes, thank you..."  
  
"Yaten, I've been thinking about Seiya... and I think... I've been holding this doubt in my heart for such a long time about her affections to Sailor Moon... it was a chance to really see how she felt... and I think that it's time for me to-"  
  
A loud boom interrupted her, both women caught themselves preparing for the worst, and mentally reprimanded themselves. Yaten walked over to her queen, and Kakyuu swung open the doors to the balcony, and they walked outside, staring up at the fading sky, the city jutting out like knives against the pink clouds, and watched the fireworks display begin.  
  
Music wafted to their ears from the city, and they stared up at their planet beside the moon, Kinmoku littered with lights and tiny bursts of pale celebratory explosions. The planet was that close enough to see.  
  
Suddenly, though, a sweet violin note blocked out any other noise, followed with the quiet and delicate key notes from a piano, and the aliens looked down to see Michiru and Haruka in the garden below them. A haunting voice echoed up to the balcony... such a familiar voice... full of pain, and remorse, and hope...  
  
Seiya? No... Minako...  
  
Yaten stared in shock as Minako stood between Neptune and Uranus, holding a yellow rose like a microphone, her eyes glistening with emotion as her voice rang out to Kakyuu...  
  
"Dream on, now...   
voice in my soul...   
pain engulfs my heart...  
my eyes are gently   
holding you...   
and in my gaze I see the stars..."  
  
Yaten's ears pricked, and Kakyuu's eyes wandered down to the garden and stared at Seiya, her hand outstretched, as she appeared next to Minako, using a red rose as her microphone.  
  
"Live on, now...   
your eyes are deep with care...   
I would fly into the sun...   
If you would only grace me  
With a smile..."  
  
And despite herself, despite all her anger, and shock, Kakyuu's lips turned upward ever so slightly, and Seiya's heart beat faster than ever before... with renewed strength  
  
"Can't you see? My faults have only shown   
the way..."   
  
"How truly now  
love flows through my veins...   
always reaching to my heart,   
never leaving   
me from my true self...  
from you...   
  
"I know I've done wrong... can you forgive me?"   
  
"I never knew how much I loved you...   
until the day I saw my dreams fly away..."  
  
"All my hopes lie with you..."  
  
"Peace inside my soul returns..."  
  
"When stars reflect from your eyes..."  
  
Seiya and Minako's voices reached a perfect pitch together, creating an unearthly voice...  
  
"I... soar..."   
  
The violin strings played out one slow and deep note, and after the bow left the strings, there was silence.  
  
"Kakyuu," whispered Seiya. "I love you forever... only you."  
  
Kakyuu turned away and ran into the room and out of sight without a word. Seiya hung her head in sorrow, and Minako watched in horror as the woman gently dropped the rose from her loose fingertips.  
  
"Seiya..." gasped Minako, and her eyes turned to Michiru who's eyes were reaching to the balcony. Finding no contact with Neptune, the princess of Venus looked to Uranus, who gazed at her with remorse. Minako shook her head slightly, and Haruka's face softened, and the woman closed her eyes, her hands delicately closing the folder that held the sheet music.  
  
Extremely disturbed, Minako looked up to the balcony, locking eyes with Yaten. She stood there, in her ball gown of blue silver, her expression unreadable, more of a scowl than anything else, and Venus' heart sank. She shrugged helplessly, turned her back away, and bent down, picking up the red rose.  
  
"Seiya?"  
  
The woman looked up, tears in her eyes, and Minako held out the rose. Seiya gingerly took it, thorns pricking her fingers, and she grasped tightly to the stem. A tear dropped onto a petal, and Seiya laughed mournfully.  
  
"Well," she whispered. "We tried."  
  
Minako only blinked, and Seiya held her hand.  
  
"Thank you," Seiya continued. "For everything... I couldn't have done this without you."  
  
The sky was completely black, and a brilliant fireworks display burst over the two.  
  
Makoto, Rei, Ami, Taiki, Hotaru, Ichigo, and Taka appeared by the entrance.  
  
"HEY YOU GUYS!!" shouted Makoto. "IT'S GOING TO START IN FIVE MINUTES!"  
  
"Shall we go?" asked Neptune. Haruka nodded, and she stood up, walking to Seiya.  
  
"Seiya... I'm sorry."  
  
"No Haruka-san... no, don't be. Something like this was waiting to happen."  
  
Haruka nodded, and went to join the group with her lover.  
  
"Why don't you go with them?" asked Seiya.  
  
"And you leave you alone?" Minako glanced back to the balcony. Yaten was gone. "Friends don't leave friends alone. Come on. She'll be there. You have to be strong, it's not the end of the world, right?"  
  
"...Right..." Minako squeezed her hand, and they started to walk away when...  
  
"SEIYA!" Hearing her name, she spun around, staring as Kakyuu ran down the corridor, and onto the path to the garden as fast as she could. Seiya stumbled towards her queen, opening her arms, and she pummeled into her, their arms enfolding, tightly, and fast, linking in a hold that would never end. "I love you... oh, I'm so sorry. Please, I should never have doubted you. I know you were just angry at Uranus-sama, but I've always had the thought that you were still in love with-"  
  
"Sh... I know, I know. It's okay... I'm not... I'm not... I'm sorry."  
  
Minako smiled brilliantly. This was all her doing. Hah! She hadn't lost the touch! The goddess of love would forever dwell in her! She folded her hands together, sighed sweetly, and started to turn when she saw the shadowed figure of Yaten behind a pillar, watching the couple. Minako quietly walked to the woman, standing beside her.  
  
"That was a very good thing you did," Yaten murmured. Minako smiled, and Yaten turned to her. "I'm serious. I could never have done something like that."  
  
"Are you kidding me? Of course you could."  
  
Yaten shook her head. "I was surprised when I heard you... you could have been great, you know that?"  
  
Minako nodded, locked eyes with Yaten, and smiled devilishly. "But I already am."  
  
She handed Yaten her yellow rose, and only gave the woman a moment to stare at it with wonder before grabbing her wrist and running down the path to catch up with the group.  
  
"Hurry up, you two!" she called. "We're all waiting for you!"  
  
Seiya loosened her hold on Kakyuu and touched the queen's lips with her fingers. Kakyuu laughed, and they walked down the path, through the garden, to the swell of voices coming from the hall.  
  
"Luna! You're... you're human!"  
  
"Do I look alright?" A small laughter echoed through the halls.  
  
"Hey now, Yaten-chan! Quit staring. On special occasions the change into their true form. Right, Diana?"  
  
"Right, Minako-sama!"  
  
"I... I can't help it..."  
  
"Excuse me... you're staring at my wife."  
  
"S-sorry!"  
  
There, in front of the doors, stood Serenity, Endymion, and Small Lady, each smiling serenely with understanding and knowledge. Every person in the hallway bowed deeply, and then moved into line. Serenity and Endymion first, then Kakyuu and Seiya, Chibi-Usa and the human Diana, Luna and Artemis, Makoto and Taka, Uranus and Neptune, Ami and Taiki, Minako and Ichigo, Hotaru and Yaten, and last... all alone... was Rei.  
  
Scowling at all the seeming couples, she shifted her hair back, fixed her crimson red dress, and tried to look dignified as the other conversed among each other.  
  
"Left out?" a warm voice asked her. Everybody turned, and Chibi-Usa squealed in delight.  
  
"Puu! You came!"  
  
Pluto bowed to the royal Earth family and Kakyuu, her long near black green dress sliding across the floor in shining waves with every move, and took her place next to Rei. Serenity beamed in satisfaction with having all her loved ones together at the same time, and trumpets sounded in the ballroom, the huge doors swung open, and the small group walked through into the huge area, the guests bowing as low as they could, and a huge screams of joy sounded through the walls from the city.   
  
The royal family took their places on the thrones, Kakyuu sitting next to Serenity. The soldiers and human-cat family stood on either side of the thrones, while Taka and Ichigo faded into the crowd together. They were smiling widely though, glad to at least be a part of their private lives... and clapped as much as the audience did.  
  
Serenity turned her head to Ami, who nodded, and lifting a thin control and pressing a button, a large holographic screen appeared in front of the royals and their guardians. The screen was sliced in two, the top half revealing a huge crowd in the public park area of the Crystal Gardens. The bottom screen showed another crowd in the vast courtyard of the Kinmoku palace, and by the cheers from both parties, they could see the senshi as well.  
  
"Hello, my people," spoke Serenity, and moved her eyes to the bottom screen. "And welcome citizens of New Kinmoku. I am Neo Queen Serenity of Earth. I wish to share with all of you a most joyous occasion. We are celebrating the first alliance between each of our worlds..."  
  
Serenity smiled and stopped as both crowds burst into clapping and whistling... New Kinmoku less rowdy than Earth.  
  
"I have known the protectors of Kinmoku for a very long time, they have personally aided Earth during a time a crisis. But we are not allied now to bond together during a time of war, but have met to learn and share two incredible cultures. People of Kinmoku, I hope with all my heart that some of you find Earth a place worthy of a home..."  
  
Serenity turned to Kakyuu, who nodded her head, turning to the screen. Gasps omitted from the crowd from Earth, while roars upbrupted from Kinmoku. Kakyuu smiled serenly as her heart burst with joy.  
  
"My dear people and great civilians of Earth, I am Queen Kakyuu of New Kinmoku. It is my deep honor to be here tonight, and join in this celebration. As my people know, it has been a very long time since our planet has resided in an area of such wondrous features. We have gained permission from Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion to lock our orbit with Earth next to Luna for the remainder of either planets' lives."  
  
There was silence from each crowd, but Kakyuu dared not waver.  
  
"I feel as if we are finally ready to trust in our futures. A long, long time ago, a great disaster struck our home and Kinmoku was destroyed, our family, lovers, and friends were killed by a universal enemy, and the last battle of that foe was held on Earth, where the great soldiers of this planet who are standing with me vanquished the evil that plagued us. I can think of no greater honor than to be in that safety and enclosure of strength. I hope all of you will understand our similarities along with our differences. I am not human, that is true, but my people and I have so much we can share, just as you have so much to teach us as well. I hope all of you find it in your hearts to accept us, and make us a part of Earth, just as I hope my people will make the citizens of Earth a part of New Kinmoku."  
  
There was all silence, and not one could hear a pin drop... a russle of clothing and then...  
  
Both audiences watched as an extremely well dressed man walked into view, standing tall with his back to them, his brown shoulder length hair loosely tied back with a dark green velvet ribbon, and he dropped to one knee, his head bowing low to the ground. A young boy then moved into the screen with the walk of a man, his blue hair smoothed back, standing next to the bowing man, but bowed from his waist as low as possible, a strong hand loosely fisted resting behind his back. A boy of noble birth...   
  
But suddenly he turned his angle slightly, to the queen of Kinmoku, and formed a peace sign with the index and middle finger pressed together, touching the tips of those fingers to his forehead, and bowed his head.  
  
A collected gasped rushed to the ears of the royal family from the Kinmoku court. That boy... that boy had just given the highest form of Kinmoku honor... placing the peace of his mind into the hands of the Kingdom.  
  
Kinmoku screamed in celebration, a collective and infectious cheer that carried its way to the ears of Earth and was joined.  
  
Smaller screens appeared as other areas in the two planets united in the cry, New York City, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, New Amsterdam, Paris, Rome, Timbuktu, Makkah, Mexico City, Sydney, Baghdad, Madrid, Athens, St. Petersburg, Cairo, Honolulu, and so many more layers upon layers of cities from Kinmoku and Earth alike had heard and seen all.  
  
Kakyuu and Serenity exhaled quietly in relief.  
  
Finally, when all had settled down, Endymion spoke.  
  
"Greetings all! I am King Endymion. Within the next few months, there will be passageways and shuttles from Earth to Kinmoku in every major city to begin our cultural exchange and alliance of worlds in every way possible. May we celebrate this occasion for years to come. Peace be with you all, and have a wonderful night!"  
  
The senshi and royals bowed to the people, and the screens faded away with the cheers. The noise of voices could still be heard from a distance, and the orchestra began their music. Couples in the members of the palace party glided their way to the dance floor, but the key players in this night stayed in their places for a while before beginning to meld with the crowd... and in that time...  
  
"Taka," The sweet and serene voice reached the clone's ears, and the man moved to Queen Serenity, and bowed again. "That was a very brave thing to do, and I thank you with all my heart for it."  
  
Taka smiled, and bowed again, murmuring a thank you in the process.  
  
"I think all of us had misunderstood you, didn't even give you a chance to try to, and I hope you come to forgive us."  
  
"I already have, your majesty."  
  
"We would be honored if you would stay with us as a guest of honor for a while."  
  
"Ami-sama had said that as well," Taka answered. "But I think it would be best for me to leave as soon as possible."  
  
"Wh-why?" Taka turned, and Ichigo moved to his side. "You've always stayed here."  
  
"I don't think this is the best time to discuss this," murmured Taka, eyeing the line of soldiers, but Ichigo shook his head.  
  
"You can't just leave like that."  
  
"I'm afraid that I can."  
  
"No."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"No."  
  
"Ichigo," hissed Ami, and the boy hung his head. "Be respectful to this man."  
  
"I want you to stay," whispered Ichigo to the clone.  
  
Taka blinked, and looked to Taiki and Ami. The two women looked curious at his reaction, and slightly shocked by Ichigo's words, but gave him nothing to go on. Taka sighed, and looked to the boy, and smiled.  
  
"I'll think about it," he said. "How about that? But I've never seen the world."  
  
"Neither have I," answered Ichigo. "How would you like to be stuck in the same place for nine hundred years?"  
  
The prince flushed as several loud coughs came from the senshi. Serenity stifled a giggle, and Artemis and Endymion looked to each other, silent words passing between them.  
  
"Well, then," said Endymion. "On my next trip, we'll have two new companions."  
  
"It would be an honor to have you join us," said Artemis. "It's aggravating to be silent for a whole month at a time. The king rarely talks unless it's about our work."  
  
Endymion laughed, and nodded with amusement. "How true. It's difficult to speak of anything else when Artemis and I already know everything about each other."  
  
Ichigo and Taka bowed lowly, each of their hearts filled with excitement. A compromise that fulfilled their hearts' wishes even more than they had imagined.  
  
"I for one, want to actually do something tonight other than stand around and look pretty," said Makoto, walking from the line and to her escort. "Let's dance."  
  
"D-dance?" Taka stuttered. "I have no idea how!"  
  
"Pfft. I'll teach you, it's fun! Come on!" And Taka was whisked away onto the dance floor. Michiru and Haruka bowed to their king and queen, and joined in the party. The small group dispersed in their separate ways, careful to stay close enough to the queen, her husband and her child as the guests greeted the royal families.  
  
*~*~*~*  
"Finally come to talk to me?"   
  
"Artemis! Of course!"  
  
"Well, it's about time!" The tall man smirked, his eyes closing lazily in only a way one from Maw could, and Minako sighed, irresistible to the cat man's charms. "Do you have anything you'd like to say to me?"  
  
"...Yes."  
  
"And that is?"  
  
"... I'm sorry for not greeting you when you returned. I should have... and I regret not doing it."  
  
"Good."  
  
"That's not any way to treat a friend!"  
  
"Really now!"  
  
"Okay, okay. I get the point."  
  
"Good. Glad something's finally gotten to your head."   
  
"Well, I was feeling a lot better until you started hounding me."  
  
Artemis patted her hand. "It's only because I love you."  
  
"Pshaw."  
  
"..."  
  
"...?"  
  
"...!"  
  
"Fine, fine... I... I love you too, Artemis."  
  
"Was that so hard?"  
  
"Yes! Especially saying that to you!"  
  
"Me? Why? We're two peas in a pod."  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"So...?"  
  
"It's very lovely," said Ami, touching the fabric of Taiki's dress. "Purple suits you."  
  
"Do you really not mind?"  
  
"We've talked about this. Nine hundred years is a long time. We've had some time to get used to the fact that humans are very open creatures. Love is love. I'll admit, when I first found out you were really a woman that time ago... I was terrified what everybody would think. They've gotten used to it, though... just like we've gotten used to Haruka and Michiru. It's been a while since then."  
  
"We still need heirs to the sailor crystals."  
  
"Do we really?" said Ami, and moved her eyes to their son as he stood with Hotaru and Chibi-Usa, talking animatedly. She smiled. "I'm sure you're right."  
  
"And...?"  
  
"Well, I've... Haruka and Michiru's anniversary is coming up next month."  
  
"Yes...?"  
  
"I've... created a..."  
  
"A..." Taiki laughed as Ami blushed. "Still embarrassed by talking about it?"  
  
Ami mock scowled at her, and mustered up as much courage as she could...  
  
"I've created..." Ami looked around frantically before, cupping her hands and whispered into her lover's ear. Taiki's eyes widened considerably.  
  
"Ami," she gasped. Ami blushed at the look of amazement on her lover's face.  
  
"I did. All I need is the DNA of Haruka, and an egg of Michiru's... the only problem is the child will always be a girl. But even better to pass down the line. Boys are wonderful too, though."  
  
"Yes, they are..."  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"Yaten..."  
  
"Seiya."  
  
"Are... are you still angry at me?"  
  
"What do you think?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"I'm not anymore." Yaten sighed, and looked out at the party. Seiya exhaled in relief, and Yaten poked her in the shoulder. "But if you ever do anything like that again, I will personally kill you. You have no idea what kind of pain Kakyuu-sama was in."  
  
"Actually," said Seiya, watching her queen with amazement. "I do. I thought I lost her again, Yaten. I really did. My heart..." She pressed a hand against her heart. "I think I know how she felt."  
  
Yaten nodded, and Seiya followed her gaze to a young blonde.  
  
"Minako's changed a lot," Seiya mused.  
  
"She has," Yaten answered. "She looks happy now, doesn't she?"  
  
"Yes..."  
  
Minako laughed loudly, her slender shoulders shaking, her hold tightening on Diana, and despite herself, Yaten's frown reversed itself as Luna walked over to Artemis, wrapping her arms around her husband's waist. Minako moved to Luna's side, and Diana scooted in between the two women, snuggling close in the folds of fabric. Minako and Luna looked to each other, and grinned.  
  
The little girl sometimes felt threatened by the relationship between Venus and her father, Yaten could tell. Diana would spend nights wondering what had happened between Artemis and Minako in the past, or if there was anything between them now. But at times like these, doubts were pushed back, when the truth revealed itself. Minako was a part of their family, even if she couldn't change into a cat. She usually always felt safe around the leader of the guardians at times in doubt, an aunt, a cousin, a relative that always cared and was always there.  
  
There was something between that family that could not be penetrated. A selectivity, a connection between the souls. Minako and Artemis shared the same soul. Just as Serenity and Luna did. Just as Small Lady and Diana. Yaten could feel it, and wondered how that was possible to have so many different types of relatives and families. Lovers, friends, soul mates, kindred spirits, physical relations, spiritual relations, stranger's care, universal love... it had never made sense to her thinking about it, but watching these people of Earth, how they interacted, holding nearly nothing back in touch and feelings... it shed a veil to the unknown.  
  
It was not a romantic relationship between any of them, but a spiritual bond. A bond of elastic that stretched out far or came in close, but never broke, never shattered.  
  
Minako smiled, and her eyes met with Yaten's. Her vision filtered to a yellow, to a green, and to a mix... such a strange light, and Minako... her body illuminated outshining the light of even Serenity. Yaten's throat closed, and they looked at each other, just staring, as if time had stilled...  
  
Venus... Venus... where are you, child?  
  
The light of the princess of Venus reached out to Yaten for a moment, but recoiled at the strange voice, rushing to the still night, and fled the room in fear and confusion.  
  
Venus...  
  
Yaten blinked, and the light returned to normal, the hum of conversation entered her ears, and Minako was no longer looking at her, her light had faded, and somehow her face was ashen.  
  
"There's something, though..." gasped Yaten. "Something there, that's not right."  
  
"What are you talking about?" asked Seiya, but she squinted her eyes. Something had definitely changed.  
  
There you are! I couldn't find you... my dear heart.  
  
"No..." she whispered.  
  
"Yaten? Yaten, what's wrong?"  
  
Come to me... yes... that's right. I've always wanted you, no one but you. Venus, my dear one, you have been my life...I have waited for so long...  
  
Yaten closed her eyes, her head pounding, confusion racing to her mind. That voice... such a familiar voice...  
  
"I need some air," Yaten said quickly and raced the balcony of the ball room, moving to a dark corner, gasping for air.  
  
There was danger... something completely off was about to happen.  
  
Yaten caught her breath, and straightened her spine, looking behind her at all the happiness of her friends and family... and Minako. She would be damned if she ever let anybody hurt that woman.  
  
Hushed voices interrupted her thoughts, and Yaten turned to face the gardens, watching with suspicion at two shadowed figures racing down the path.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"Ichigo-kun!" laughed Hotaru as he grasped her hand, urging her to move faster. Her face was flushed with the speed, and Ichigo's heart beat rapidly when her delicate fingers wrapped tightly around his hand. "Slow down! I need to catch my breath!"  
  
"We haven't got much time," said Ichigo. "It'll be gone before too long."  
  
Finally, after moving into the maze, rushing through twists and turns, he stopped. Hotaru hunched over, catching her breath, her hands flitting to her throat.  
  
"Are... are you okay?" Ichigo moved to her side, putting a hand on her back.  
  
"I'm fine, I'm fine," she breathed. "I keep on forgetting the breathing techniques Haruka-papa taught me about running."  
  
Right now she was forgetting to breathe to begin with, as she felt the slow, light massage Ichigo was giving her. Hotaru stood up, stiffening slightly, and turned to him. His eyes were so intense, so unreadable, that she knew something was wrong.  
  
But before she could speak, he reached over to a bush, and parted the branches, revealing a door.  
  
"It's in here."  
  
"A secret...?"  
  
"It won't be for long... I'll explain." Hotaru hesitated though, and Ichigo shook his head. "Please, you don't have to be afraid."  
  
"I'm not... just a little... insecure."  
  
Hotaru ducked through the branches and opened the door, Ichigo's hand brushing across her head. She stopped, staring as a fountain's stray spray misted the flowers, the moonlight reflecting off the droplets like ice cold stars. Hotaru's breath caught, and Ichigo stood beside her.  
  
"Beautiful, isn't it?" he asked. Hotaru could only stare. "I know how much you like the flowers, and well... they seem to grow so much better here."  
  
"What... what is this?"  
  
"Makoto-san accidentally tapped into an underground crystal stream. You were visiting Aunt Michiru and Haruka, otherwise you would have been here. The only people around though were Aunt Serenity, Aunt Makoto, Mom and me when it happened. We were going to close it up, but Mom saw the immediate change in wilting flowers... when the water sprayed onto them, they became young again..."  
  
The dark petals seemed to throb with the life that was flowing through their veins.  
  
"They haven't died in over six months. We turned the tap into a small fountain, and blocked it off to examine it later. I made a promise to never come here... but I have been anyway..."  
  
"But... but why?" Ichigo looked into her eyes, and smiled faintly.  
  
"It's here, the element I need, but I needed something else with me for it to happen."  
  
"For what...?"  
  
"I'm going to grow up here," he murmured, and like a light, he began to glow a pale blue, the mist circling around him, soaking into him, and he walked towards her slowly, hesitantly.  
  
Hotaru only stared as his arms circled around her, gently pulling her to him, and she felt with detached fascination as his grip on her became stronger, safer. To keep her eyes on his face, Hotaru had to look higher, when before he was slightly shorter than her, now Ichigo was half a head taller. His shoulders broadened, and his jacket stretched, the sleeves becoming shorter and tighter.  
  
Long dark blue hair brushed against his back, and his shoulders were broad, but very feminine at the same time. He wasn't handsome... he was beautiful, as only a son with two mothers could be. Dark and long eyelashes masking intense purple eyes, long and thick hair curling slightly, a long and graceful neck.  
  
"I realize now," Ichigo murmured, his voice low and resonant. "I've needed to face my fears, and let go of all my attachments before truly growing. The truth about my father, my insecurities of growing up... and my feelings for you."  
  
Her eyes fluttered from his jaw bone. Ichigo came closer and took her hands in his.  
  
"Even if you don't love me back, I can live with that. But my love is real, has always been real. Even when I was a boy, I knew that I was the only one who could change myself. I needed you, though... I needed you to be here to see this. How I really am. This was me, trapped in that body."  
  
She stared at him for a while, and stared at his incredible eyes hesitantly. "I'm shocked, Ichigo... This is going to take some getting used to."  
  
Ichigo laughed. "Tell me about it." His face darkened slightly, though. "I'll give you some time."  
  
"Thank you," she gratefully, and they walked out of the secret garden and walked down the path. As they walked, she helped him out of his jacket, unfortunately ripping it a little. "Do you have another tuxedo? Isn't this uncomfortable?"  
  
Ichigo grimaced. "You have NO idea."  
  
Hotaru blushed but giggled hysterically. "Will King Endymion mind if we borrowed one of his suits?"  
  
"I hope to God he doesn't!" And stealthily they ran to the king's closet, laughing and jumping with every small sound.   
  
And as they rushed out of the room to Ichigo's with a swiped tuxedo, they could not have imagined that their relationship would strengthen to a place they never could imagine. Neither of them would know whether it would be romantic love or intense adoration. Ichigo's feelings for her would change into something much calmer, warmer... and less panicked, while Hotaru's for him would be almost blind admiration and affection. He was the son of two women, who's heart and mind were as understanding as that of a girl's. He was the best friend any girl could have... and they would both hope, that one day, their friendship could change into something more. But only time would tell.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
End Part 11  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Note: The sappy, waffy, and corny song Minako and Seiya sing was written by yours truly. If you're out of your mind and would like to use this song for some reason, by all means, use it. BUT that means it's MINE. Mine mine mine mine mine. So ask me first. Cause it's still mine.  
  
Also, I have something to say about the pairing of everybody. A lot (and I mean A LOT) are same sex relationships, obviously. I really don't think that there would be that many for the cast of Sailor Moon. And I do agree with something that Jennifer Wand wrote about fan fiction that deals with this issue. Mostly, they are:  
  
1. Completely and utterly opposed to it, hate it hate it hate it. Nuh-uh, don't even get near me.  
2. Yeah! Woohoo! It's great and awesome! I'm all for it!  
  
It's in between, actually. They're kind of freaked out of it being with, calling it "ecchi!" when they learn of Michiru and Haruka's relationship, but they warm up to it after a while.   
  
BUT this fan fic takes place 900 years into the future. A lot (and I mean A LOT) can happen in that time period. Who knows? Rei and Minako might have had that little fling those rumors put out there. Heck, the roman Mars and Venus DID have an affair, so who's to say that Naoko-sama won't go along the story based on the mythology...?  
  
***  
  
Yaten: Minako...  
  
Minako: ... yes, sugar?  
  
Yaten: Is there something you want to tell me?  
  
Minako: ... W-what could that be?  
  
Rei: Aheheheheh...  
  
***  
  
BUT if Yaten and Minako are going to have a relationship (Taiki and Ami, Seiya and Kakyuu), Minako needs to be open to same sex love. Yaten too...  
  
***  
  
Yaten: Hmph. As if I'm not open to anything  
  
Minako: Well, in the manga you DID have NO interest in girls whatsoever. Besides Seiya, Taiki, and Kakyuu-hime.  
  
Yaten: I already apologized for that!  
  
Minako: Yeah, yeah... I'm sure you meant it, too...  
  
Yaten: ...  
  
Minako: ...  
  
Yaten: *Turns to Sarah-chan* IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT THIS IS HAPPENING! I NEVER SHOULD HAVE AGREED TO DO THIS WITH YOU!  
  
^^;;; Hey, hey, no need to get so angry! You'll ruin that lovely face of yours. Don't want to get any pre-mature wrinkles, now do we? *Motions to Minako frantically*  
  
Minako: H-hey, come on, Ya-chan. I wasn't being serious! Don't let her get to you!  
  
Yaten: She still gets under my skin!  
  
Minako: Let's go get some caviar, okay? Some GOOD stuff.  
  
Yaten: Well... alright... *leaves*  
  
***  
  
Phew... but! You all must be wondering (well, I was anyway)... do Ichigo and Hotaru really get together? I dunno. Personally, I've never really been too keen on original characters and fan characters getting together... so I'm leaving it open. ^^ I dunno, personally I think they'd make great friends... you know, the kind that are inseparable and always make the spouses nervous.  
  
Also, the image of Ichigo as an adult in my mind... is oh my GAWD. I'm in love with him just thinking about it. What a major HOTTIE. EEEEK! Kind of makes me feel sorry for naming him "strawberry".   
  
And aren't I a genius? These future things are so fun when you don't have to get technical. Crystal springs, HAH!! I am GOOD!  
  
***  
  
Yaten: *eating caviar ice cream* Is she vain or what?  
  
Minako: *eating curry ice cream* Nah, just a hedonist. To be happy with your life, you have be happy with your health!  
  
Ami: Um... Minako-chan... isn't it "you have to be happy with yourself"?  
  
Taiki: I concur.  
  
Minako: Yeah, yeah. Same thing.  
  
Ami and Taiki: *sigh*  
  
Yaten: Hey, what's with all these little cameos?  
  
Haruka: Sarah-chan hates it if anybody's left out. That's why this fic turned into such a big story.  
  
Minako: Haruka-san! What are you doing here?  
  
Haruka: I thought now would be a great time to kick her ass for making me a heinous bitch in part 9, and in part 10, turning me into a groveling subservient little piece of-  
  
Michiru: Haruka! The children!  
  
*Brings in Hotaru, Chibi-Usa, and Diana*  
  
Haruka:- ahem. Sorry... BUT WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD I EVER PLAY A SONG THAT HORRIBLE WITH SEIYA OF ALL PEOPLE!  
  
Well... ^^;;; For part 9, I was feeling pretty "kick some major butt" like, so I figured you were there and Seiya was there... why not? And the song? I would have had you join in with Nagareboshi He... but can you really imagine playing a grand piano in place of that weird key board thing and having "Search for you love" in the background? I was thinking of Route Venus... but that was WAY to depressing. Kakyuu might have gotten the wrong idea.  
  
Kakyuu: I take the white road... you take the blue road... ARE YOU ACTUALLY DUMPING ME?!!  
  
Seiya: No no no no!!  
  
But I wrote that song... it's terrible. I made sure it DIDN'T rhyme.   
  
Chaos: If only she had written it while I still had the universe! I would have been victorious!  
  
Galaxia: Don't even think about it!  
  
Hey now! *Kicks everybody out* Bye all! 


	12. Fantasy

Tension of the Past  
Part 12  
  
*~*~*~*  
A sun harboring a billion lives speeds to this Earth, a force magnified to ours, bound by strings that no one can see. The lives of the senshi will end when we invite them to our home.  
*~*~*~*  
  
Despite all the excitement, despite all the pinching and jabs she gave herself, Chibi-Usa could not keep awake. Hotaru had left her with Ichigo, Diana was too preoccupied with her parents and staring at Seiya (which would be fitting, she thought. She had no doubt Artemis admired Taiki) and her own parents were doing a routine stroll around the room. And where was Puu?  
  
"She's coming. I must leave."  
"Don't go yet, Puu! You've only been here for a couple of hours!"  
"Small Lady... do not ask me to stay. If you desire the lives of your mother's friends, let me go."  
"But why can't you tell your story to me?!"  
"Small lady! Forgive me!"  
  
Pluto had left her all alone. And she was bored. Oh so very, very bored. But she needed to stay up. She needed to be a big girl. She needed to act like a... like a... like... a...  
  
"Uh-oh. Looks like somebody's getting tired."  
  
Chibi-Usa covered her yawn, trying to deny her father's observation, but to no avail. Her parents laughed lovingly, and Endymion rested a hand on her head.  
  
"Please... just a little longer," she pleaded. Her father shook his head.  
  
"Next time," he said. "Maybe you won't be so tired."  
  
"There won't be another next time like this!" she cried.  
  
"Of course there will," said Kakyuu leaning down to the little girl. "Next year, we can all celebrate on Kinmoku, how does that sound?"  
  
Chibi-Usa's eyes widened. "That sounds wonderful!"  
  
"It's settled, then," said Endymion.  
  
"'So let it be written! So let it be done!'" cried Taiki, and both she and Ami burst out in uncontainable laughter. Makoto and Rei looked at each other.  
  
"Looks like Small Lady isn't the only one tired," said Makoto, staring as the two women clutched each other to hold steady. Rei nodded in agreement.  
  
"Who's turn is it to take Chibi-Usa-chan to bed?" asked Rei.  
  
Small Lady stretched and said, "Jupiter-san tucked me in last night... so tonight would be Venus-san!"  
  
Minako looked up from her conversation, her attention caught by the echoing of her name. The small cat family and the leader of the senshi walked over to the thrones, and Minako knelt down to Chibi-Usa.  
  
"That's right," she said. "It's my turn tonight, isn't it?"  
  
Small Lady nodded, and both she and Minako turned, bowed to the king and queen, bowed to Kakyuu, Chibi-Usa got a goodnight kiss from both her parents (a sweet "awe" omitting from the crowd), and Minako got her own goodnight kiss from Serenity (laughter erupting from the crowd), and went their way, the princess' hand enfolded in her Venus-san's.  
  
Yaten scowled, and began to go after them, offering to be an escort, when she felt a small tugging on her ponytail, and turned around to stare at a set of big, sweet, and cat-like eyes.  
  
"Yaten-sama..."  
  
"Yes?" she looked up to Artemis and Luna who only nodded their heads.  
  
"Will you walk me to my room and then to Small Lady's? I need to get..."  
  
Blushing, she tugged harder, bringing Yaten to her level, and whispered into the woman's ear. Yaten's face softened, and then nodded reassuringly. "It's not something to be embarrassed about in front of grown ups. Everybody's had a little stuffed animal to sleep with at night."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Sure!" Well, Yaten hadn't had one, but it was better to leave that unsaid. And now that she thought of it, neither had Taiki or... no wait... Seiya definitely hid something furry in her closet. Smirking she caught a glance to a flushing Seiya, and then looked to Diana. "Ready?"  
  
Diana shook her head, giggled, bowed to the king and queens, got a goodnight kiss from her parents (a sweet "awe" omitting from the crowd), Yaten politely declined her own peck on the cheek (much to the relief of Artemis), and the two women headed on down the hallway, the little girl's hands enfolded in the protective warmth of Yaten's.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"There we go!" said Minako, pulling the covers up to the little girl's chin. "Brushed your teeth and everything?"  
  
Chibi-Usa nodded, opened her mouth, and exhaled, Minako dipping her head low to the princess, her golden strands mingling in with the pink.   
  
"You used the cinnamon paste tonight."  
  
"Yup. Matches my pajamas." She stuck out an arm, showing off a cute brown and red sleeve. Minako smiled, but frowned a moment later, and untied the yellow ribbon from her neck, sighing happily as her throat was freed.  
  
Such soft skin... my pet... my beautiful Venus...  
  
"Are you feeling alright?"  
  
"I just feel like my throat is closing up."  
  
"Minako-sama!" a small voice called from the hallway, and Minako moved to the door, opening it to see Diana staring and looking around warily, a small and cute stuffed mouse clutched in her tiny arms.   
  
"Diana!" cried Chibi-Usa, and immediately, the covers were flung off and the small princess was hopping on the bed, ruining the work that Minako had so painstakingly tried to do. Eh, cleaning was never her forte, anyways.  
  
"They said it was okay to sleep with Small Lady tonight. The hallways scare me, and I ran as fast as I could! Even with Yaten-sama!"  
  
Yaten nodded to Minako, and she blinked. Minako smiled warmly, assuring Diana that everything was all right, and Diana raced into the room, joining Chibi-Usa in her desecration of the bed.  
  
The lady Venus sighed, shook her head in amusement, and looked up to Yaten.  
  
"Thank you for bringing her here," she said. "It's rare for the princess to have a sleep over, even with her best friend living in the same building."  
  
"No problem," said Yaten.  
  
"Good night, Ya-chan!" The two little girls giggled fiercely, and Yaten just blinked. Minako, though, heated up. Twirling around, she pounced the two girls, sending them into fits of laughter as she tried to catch them underneath the sheets.  
  
Minako hissed, "How many times have I told you two NOT to eavesdrop in my room?"  
  
"Eeek!! Nonononono! Don't tickle!"  
  
"Well?! Are you going to apologize?!"  
  
"We're sorry! We're sorry! Uncle! Uncle!"  
  
She stopped, leapt off the bed, fixed her hair, and inhaled deeply, before turning around and smiling sweetly at Yaten, who blinked again.  
  
"Children. Ahehehe."  
  
"Right..."  
  
"Minako-sama?"  
  
"H-hai?"  
  
"Will you tell us one of your stories?"  
  
"Not a scary one like last time!" cried Chibi-Usa.  
  
"Sure, sure. Yaten, do you want to go now? You don't need to stay. I'll be back in the ball room once everything's settled."  
  
Venus... Venus... come to me now... Now, my dreamer...  
  
"I'd like to stay here for a while, if you don't mind. I could walk you back once you're done."  
  
"Oooooh," sang Chibi-Usa and Diana giggled. "How romantic!"  
  
Yaten and Minako both shot daggers at the little girls who promptly shut up.  
  
"Thanks," chirped the blonde, and Yaten melted into the shadows as Venus sat gently next to the two children, tucking them back in tight, making sure the heads of the little stuffed animals were above the covers. "So you want a happy story tonight?"  
  
"Yeah!"  
  
"Those aren't any fun, though," mumbled Minako. The two girls started to shriek in protest. "All right! All right! Happy then!"  
  
"A love story too!"  
  
"Adventure!"  
  
"Make her a princess!"  
  
"Make her somebody who can turn into a cat! And have a prince!"  
  
"No, a pegasus!"  
  
"How about somebody from another planet?"  
  
"And have her be a super heroine!"  
  
"And let her have a pet that can talk! And make it purple!"  
  
"Oi, oi," cried Minako. "Do you want me to tell you a story, or just talk about us?"  
  
"Both!" they cried. And Minako sighed.  
  
"Once upon a time, there was a girl who was gorgeous, beautiful, and very cute. Her name was Wakuseino Hinako-"  
  
"Chick girl of the planet?!" guffawed Chibi-Usa.  
  
"Shut up! Now, Hinako-chan was a super-idol, the biggest there ever was. Everybody was in love with her-"  
  
"Please tell me this isn't going to be like last time," muttered Chibi-Usa. Diana began to tremble in fear.  
  
"The paparazzi hovered around her every move during the day, and sometimes at night-"  
  
"Yup. It's going to turn into a horror story."  
  
"But when the cameras were off of her, Hinako-chan's little secret could be revealed." Diana began to scream. "I just started! You haven't even heard anything yet!"  
  
"I've heard enough!" she cried.  
  
Minako shouted above Diana's sobbing. "Her secret was she was actually a princess of a far away planet, where she could turn into a cat, and her true love was a man called Apollo from another planet who could turn into a pegasus, and the only way they could be together was to run away to Earth, where nobody could find them!"  
  
Diana stopped crying, and joined Chibi-Usa's wide stare as Minako took in a large breath.  
  
"They came to the first gate of Earth, begging Sailor Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn to let them find sanctuary on the planet. But Uranus was too worried the other planets would wage war on them, and Neptune agreed, though neither one of them were happy about it. The prince and princess reminded them of their own king and queen during the past, and their hearts ached to let them stay. But they couldn't risk it..."  
  
"How tragic!" whispered Diana.  
  
"But Saturn took pity on the royal lovers, and creating a distraction, letting the couple slip past the defenses. Both Uranus and Neptune knew what happened in their subconscious, but they made sure not to realize it, just in case the representatives of the planets came near by and tried to pry into their minds. They sent Saturn on a long vacation to stay at the palace, which was protected by the senshi's powers, so nobody could read her mind.  
  
"So far so good, right? But unfortunately, they had a little encounter with the second gate. The magnificent Sailor Venus was on duty that month, and using her incredible psychic powers, she found them out, and confronted them about their little escape from the outer senshi. Being the goddess of love and beauty, she listened to their story, and decided it was her duty to protect them with her power and help unite them completely!  
  
"So far so good, again, right? Well, what nobody knew was the fact that a representative of the planet of Perro had trailed behind them, using a dark magic to conceal himself (Though it didn't work with the Divine Protection... the senshi were just distracted by the prince and princess), and slipped through the defenses of the first gate while Saturn had created the disturbance. He was a fierce and angry man, working for the evil emperor who had taken over Perro a short time before the departure of our protagonists. You see, the Emperor, Oushi-"  
  
Diana began to whimper again, but Chibi-Usa shushed her by squeezing her hand.  
  
"Emperor Oushi wanted Hinako-hime for himself, and his sister was dying to add Apollo to her collection of rare animal-men. But the biggest reason was both held inside them the dust of creation. The aftermath of a super nova had seeped into their skin, giving them incredible powers. Apollo became an incredible psychic, able to leave his body and travel around as just his soul, while Hinako was physically powerful, able to turn her body into a weapon if needed, and change her body to disguise herself. Even in cat form, she could change her body. When before she had been a simple but elegant house feline, she could turn into a panther!"  
  
"Not fair!" mewled Diana.  
  
"So Venus-sama hid them on a secluded island, away from the civilized world, coming in every now and then to check up on how they were doing. But one day, while Apollo-ouji left his body to see how his planet was doing (both were getting very homesick), and Hinako-hime was taking a nap, Oushi's assistant stole Apollo's body and took it with him back to Perro! But before he left, Hinako-hime woke up and saw her beloved's body racing away, and before she knew what she was doing, her emotions took over, and she started turning into a purple tiger!"  
  
Diana gasped in delight, and Yaten watched, either in horror or fascination (maybe even a little of both), she couldn't tell, as Minako's actress instincts kicked in.  
  
"She tried to catch Apollo's body, crying in fear and agony, and the lifeless body suddenly began to glow. His spirit couldn't enter his body again to regain his full power, and frustrated, Apollo's creation dust was leaving his body through his tears. Amazed, Hinako-hime began to transform back into a human, and as she began to, a little of the creation dust fell onto her body, and she felt as if she were splitting apart... when in all actuality her cat form and human form were separating from the dust.  
  
"To no avail, Hinako could not catch the pegasus-man's body. And Hinako-hime lay on the ground, clutching her cat self, sobbing in despair. But a voice took her out of her spell. A beautiful voice, and Hinako turned her head to stare at Apollo's form. A beautiful Pegasus of light. An image. She called out to him, and he neighed back, but when she reached out to touch him, her lover disappeared.  
  
"Venus came by later that day, not expecting the destruction that had occurred, and Hinako-hime told her everything that happened, begging to help her. Venus told her to stay on the island while she would make preparations, and so, for nearly a week, Hinako-hime stayed on that island, alone, with her purple cat.  
  
"But when she sang... when she sang, she could feel Apollo next to her, could feel his breath on her skin. And when Venus got back, Hinako-hime told her her plan. She would sing to find her Apollo. Sing enough to keep him by her side, to find his spirit and hold it by her until she found enough strength to go to Perro and retrieve his body from it's cage.  
  
"Venus agreed, and Hinako changed her form, and went with the soldier into Crystal Tokyo, making her fame.  
  
"And after the cameras where gone, after all her fan mail had been thrown away, she would stand in the moonlight, and sing. Just to feel the whisper of touches of her lover. To only know him, and see him. Nothing but him. Forget her fans, the photo shoots. That was not why she was there. She was here for Apollo, and Apollo only, and that was how it would be...  
  
"Until she met some incredible people... some very special people, who taught her of love, and dreams, and hopes... and with that strength she knew she could get her love back... if only his spirit would come to her..." Minako opened her eyes after realizing they had been closed, and stared at the two enraptured girls.   
  
"Sugoi," gasped Small Lady. "This isn't going to be so bad after all! Tell us what happens!"  
  
"Yes! Please!"  
  
Minako shook her head. "It's too late... we'll finish next week..."  
  
"W-what? But that's so far away!"  
  
"We have all the time in the world," she murmured, kissed the two girls on the forehead, and kissed the stuffed animals as they were pushed her way. "Anyways, Yaten's probably wanting to go back to the party, right?"  
  
She looked back to Yaten in the shadows, and smiled warmly, stretching out her hand, beckoning the woman to join the small circle. Yaten left her corner, but stayed farther from the bed. The little girls were royalty. Strangers. And even if Minako had known them most of her life, she still couldn't fathom becoming that intimate with them.  
  
"I'll be waiting by the door," said Yaten. "Good night, princess. Good night, Diana."  
  
"Good night, Ya-chan." The giggles erupted again, followed by shrieks as Minako flailed them with a pillow.   
  
And the woman walked out of the room, closed the door quietly, and leaned her head against the wall. She was suffocating. Too much emotion had been bared, too many hearts in that room had been open, her own included. Breathing in deeply, she turned around and looked at the ceiling, and smiled despite her claustrophobic episode.  
  
Diana yawned, showing her sweet and tiny cat fangs, and Chibi-Usa caught the bug, joining in on the voice of sleep.  
  
"Good night you two," she whispered.  
  
"Good night, Venus-san..."  
  
"Good night, Minako-sama..."  
  
"I... I love you two, you know that? I really do..."  
  
Both girls opened their sleepy eyes, and smiled happily.  
  
"We know," they said quietly, and snuggled close to each other. "We love you too."  
  
Minako turned away quickly, and walked to the door, her head hanging low, and turned off the lights, leaving the snoozing girls as fast as she could lest her heart break. Closing the door, she leaned her forehead against it, her veins throbbing as she tried to hold the emotions inside. But to no avail, the tears began to flow.  
  
"Minako?" She flinched at her name being called, but didn't turn to the voice.  
  
"I'm fine," she said, and inhaled deeply, stuffing her sorrow deep inside her. It didn't work, though, when she faced her companion's scrutiny. "I... I just..."  
  
"Is it time to pay your bet?" Minako shook her head vigorously, and Yaten sighed.  
  
"Let's just go, okay?"  
  
Yaten didn't answer, but started to walk down the hall slowly, moving into the stride of Minako's, and stared straight ahead. It was silent for a few moments until Minako stopped walking and gasped.  
  
"I almost forgot!" she cried. "My ribbon!"  
  
And she ran down the hall, calling Yaten to go on without her. Annoyed and frustrated at Minako's evasions of the truth, she began to do just that. Until the voice returned.  
  
Yes, my beautiful soldier... closer now... come to me... there is no escape from destiny. Now... so soon... it's time, my dear... time to join me...  
  
Yaten spun around, searching the shadows for any movement, her form flickering from Star Healer to Yaten rapidly. After finding no enemy, Yaten decided to return to the princess' room.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
The children were sleeping when she opened the door, their soft breathing brushing against her ears. She walked in the darkness, groping around for her ribbon, and finally, her hands honed in on the soft fabric. Sighing in contentment, she tied the ribbon back on her neck, and began to walk back to the door.  
  
A huge burst of light stopped her from turning the knob. A light so brilliant, so cold, it pricked her skin. Minako jumped in fear, and spun around, feeling her clothes being replaced by her fuku, her chain wrapping around her hip. Instantaneously, a feeling of security, of safety, of strength. This was her true form. A soldier. A soldier with a woman's heart.  
  
A glow of light seeped through the cracks of the door that led to the royal chamber, and Venus walked to the door, hesitating only a brief moment before turning the knob, walking through, and staring straight into the eyes of General Kunzite.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
End part 12  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
The little bedtime story... well... I happen to like it. So it's there. It's long. It's unfinished. MUAHAHA.   
  
AAAAND... I've been thinking about the usage of names (example: Uranus or Haruka), and here's what I think (this is for TOP, not for the entire series):  
  
Let's make Mina-chan our official example.  
  
*Minako comes out onto the stage with a bright spotlight on her.*  
  
Minako isn't EXACTLY Minako. Nor is she Venus. She's somewhere in between. Both forms have melded together, creating a person who is BOTH Venus and Minako. Which is why she no longer needs her transformation pen. It's been a while. She looks like Minako enough to be recognized, but has the power to transform without any aid.  
  
And for the sake of the Starlights, it's the same thing with them. They've been alive for 900 years, they just didn't know it!  
  
So Minako has basically two names that can be used. Minako is definitely the most informal, but each can be used without it being awkward.  
  
Okay, that's it!  
  
OH! And "SO LET IT BE WRITTEN! SO LET IT BE DONE!" Is from the GREAT Charlton Hesston movie "The Ten Commandments" or something along those lines. The Pharaoh would always say it... and... well, yeah ^^;;; 


	13. Love

Tension of the Past  
Part 13  
*~*~*~*  
  
Kunzite's eyes revealed him to be just as shocked as Venus.   
  
He wasn't in the flesh, but an image, a body of light, shades of gray and pale blues, he stood in front of the table where Endymion kept his guardian crystals, his white hair and cape blowing with an ethereal wind.   
  
They stood, facing each other, no sound, just looked until Kunzite averted his gaze from her, searching the room for his master, Prince Endymion, thoroughly disturbed by the fact he was summoned not by his sovereign, but by a young woman who's acquaintance had altered his life.  
  
"Kunzite?"   
  
He looked back to her, and finally said, "You have changed since I last saw you, Sailor Venus."  
  
She lowered her head slightly, and then picked it up. "You look just the same!"  
  
She tried to laugh, but stopped as the general's lips twitched slightly. Flushing, she wiped the sweat off her palms onto her fuku, and began to pace.  
  
"Are you in need of something?" he asked.  
  
"I... no. I'm not. Why are you here? Is there trouble? An enemy against my queen?"   
  
Kunzite shook his head, but smiled at her. "You know, I've always admired your loyalty," he said. Venus was taken aback.  
  
"W-what?"  
  
"In the Silver Millennium," he explained. "You would frequently forgo your free time to bring your princess back to the moon. When she traveled to meet the prince. I remember watching you as you tried to tear Serenity from this planet. Very amusing. People of Venus are quite beautiful when vexed."  
  
A small smile softened his face as she blushed. Kunzite looked closely at her for a moment before sighing.  
  
"You've lost some of your charm, though."  
  
"What makes you say that?" she asked, insulted.  
  
"You look pale. Your heart is bleeding."  
  
Venus turned away. "I don't need you to speak of my heart. You know nothing."  
  
"Nothing? Then why is my memory among the ones that keep the wound open?"  
  
She stiffened, turned back to him, and said, "I have no idea. I barely knew you."  
  
"And yet... after so many lifetimes... you still remember me."  
  
"You tried to kill my princess in the Silver Millennium! You tried to kill Earth in this lifetime!"  
  
"Ah," he breathed. "And I apologize."  
  
"This is getting me nowhere," she said. "Please. Go back to wherever you came from."  
  
"Believe me," he answered. "I would have if I was able to. But I cannot."  
  
"And why is that?"  
  
"You alone are keeping me from leaving."  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Star Healer's eyes widened as she listened in from the crack of the door, her body pressed against the wall. Kunzite... a general of Endymion...   
  
Why was this happening? Why was this dead man still in Minako's heart? Why did Yaten feel so... so...  
  
"Me?" Venus' voice rang out. "Then leave if you don't want to stay. I release you. I don't want to keep you from Zoicite."  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"Aah." Kunzite locked her in his gaze as Venus stepped back, startled at her words. "Waiting a long time to say that?"  
  
"I... I..."  
  
"What?" he asked. "Please. Tell me. I wish to return as soon as possible. I wish for you to return as well."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"You have been with us for a while now..." said Kunzite. "It's a bit unnerving to have a live woman's spirit join us. You don't even say anything."  
  
"But... but I'm alive. I'm here. I feel here."  
  
"Always?"   
  
Venus blinked at those words. "Sometimes... sometimes I feel as if I've lost a part of myself. I'll feel so happy... and then..."  
  
"Then what?"  
  
"I don't know," she whispered. "I feel hollow. I feel desperate and alone. Even with my friends. I... I don't know why this happens to me!"  
  
"Yes, you do," he said forcefully. His scowl reminded her of Yaten for some odd reason. "Don't think about her. Focus on you. You're getting closer."  
  
"I haven't felt this way for nine hundred years! Why now?"  
  
"It's been building inside of you. You need to let it out. You can't let it bottle up inside. Don't you see how old you are?"  
  
"That's just it!" she cried. "I've always been old! Children... children can see through that... I remember more of the Silver Millennium than even Serenity... so much of my past... I've been through too many things not to forget... not to grow older... not to stay as young as the others."  
  
"What have you remembered?"  
  
"Pain... destruction... happiness that crumbles with my touch." She looked up at him. "I've never been able to keep happiness... to keep love. I am so tainted. You can't tell me I was pure back then. I was never pure."  
  
"You were," he said quietly. "You have always been pure."  
  
"Then why can't anybody love me?" she sobbed. "Why am I so repulsive?"  
  
The spirit stepped towards her. "You hate yourself. How could anybody be with another who hates themselves? It's destructive, it's painful. The men who took advantage of you..."  
  
"Kaitou Ace... Adonis," she whispered and looked up at Kunzite, her eyes glistening.  
  
"He died as Danburite. I'm so sorry," he breathed, and feigned touching her hair. "Your pain... your heart ache."  
  
"He... he obeyed you," she said. "Took your orders."  
  
"I knew he had loved you in the Silver Millennium. That pain was what I needed to use against him. You never noticed him."   
  
"I... I should have..." she whispered. "I should have. He was my Tuxedo Kamen... he was my knight in shining armor... just because of social class systems... that's why nothing... I should have seen him."  
  
"He was your enemy," Kunzite said. "Just as I was."  
  
"You..." she said. "You knew..."  
  
"I did..."  
  
"In... in the Silver Millennium... did you... did you love me?"  
  
Kunzite placed a ghostly finger near her lips, and shook his head.  
  
"What does it matter? That is over with. Danburite is over with. All the others are over with. All you are left with is now. You have fallen along the way, have broken your heart. Pick up the pieces. Fall in love again..." He stopped himself and smiled. "Ah, yes, you already have... but before... before anything, fall in love with yourself. People come and go, but you are always left with yourself. Your divine self. Never forget that."  
  
A tear rolled down Venus' cheek, and the general stepped back to his crystal.  
  
"I see I've shed enough light to be able to leave," he said. "Please take heed of my words."  
  
"Kunzite..." she whispered. "Are... are you happy...?"  
  
He grinned for once, and said, "I'm going back to Zoicite, aren't I? Don't leave yourself. Please. Take your time. Stay with your princess. Your friends. Be with the one you love."  
  
"Please don't go," she begged. "There's still so much..."  
  
"You have all the answers you need inside of yourself. Trust your pure heart. Trust those who love you. Know you are loved, you are strong. You have a person you must protect, but this time, the barriers have been shattered. The human heart has enough room for the entire universe! Remember that!"  
  
And he was gone. And Venus collapsed and began to sob. And Star Healer began to open the door when...  
  
VENUS! MY BEAUTIFUL DARLING! MY WONDERFUL ANGEL!  
  
Minako's head snapped up and searched around the room for the voice. The low hum of came from Chibi-Usa's room, and Venus ran into the other room, colliding with Star Healer. Bother staggered away from each other.  
  
"Ya-Yaten?" She stood up tall, looking in bewilderment at the alien senshi.  
  
"Minako..."  
  
"Were... were you here the whole time?"  
  
Yaten nodded, but did not look guilty.  
  
"...The whole time?" Minako repeated.  
  
"Listen to me, Minako." Venus turned away from the senshi, towards the sleeping children, but Star Healer grabbed her hand, pulling her back. "I've heard that voice all night. Calling to you-"  
  
Venus recoiled from other woman's touch. "How... how could you do such a thing? I thought you cared... I thought you cared enough to... I would have told you..."  
  
"Don't tell me you didn't hear the voice!" Yaten cried. "Something's after you-"  
  
"I didn't hear anything!" she cried. "Nothing besides... Isn't enough you were there for everything?! But do you have to make an excuse for it? Do you have pretend to protect me?!"  
  
"I'm not pretending!"  
  
"You are..." she backed away. "You always were... when you were being nice... I thought... I thought somehow... you cared..."  
  
"Listen to yourself!" cried Yaten. "What are you saying?! Did you hear nothing that man told you?!"  
  
"THE TIME HAS COME. JOIN ME!"  
  
And a brilliant burst of light engulfed Venus, pushing Yaten away as she tried to reach to her, stopping all time.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Engulfed in the light, frozen to the bone, aching with pain, and her first thought was, the princess.  
  
"SMALL LADY!" she screamed, but her words were absorbed in the light. Both children were sleeping sound and snug, close to each other, undisturbed.  
  
"This light is for only you," a voice said. A deep voice. A mesmerizing voice. A familiar voice.   
  
"Who's there?!" she cried. This time she could hear it in her ears, knew it had gone out into the space, but she knew the children didn't awaken.  
  
"The one who has always cared for you..." the voice answered. "I have watched you since the beginning of time. Goddess of Love, powerful leader of the protectors of Serenity. I am so saddened at the rewards you are given. You were meant for so much more..."  
  
The light began to condense. To turn into a tiny, incredibly intense star that hovered ever so close to her face. Such an icy light.  
  
"I can lead you to your greatness..."  
"I don't want to be great... I want to protect my queen!"  
"How much you have changed! To lose all your dreams!"  
"I have fulfilled all of them!"  
"And what of love? What of that cursed heart you carry? What the dead general told you is all very sweet... the rules apply to others... but you. You will never be able to be loved by any one! Least of all a soldier from another planet already in a forbidden love!"  
"Why are you attacking me like this?!"  
"I am only showing you the truth... I want to help you... I have always loved you... ALWAYS. I can take away your pain... take away that curse you have..."  
"My... my curse..."  
"Let me be with you forever..." the voice pleaded. Venus reached up and touched the star, and it exploded around her, slicing her nerves, and yet she did not cry out in pain. But in joy. Such joy! To no longer feel her heart!  
  
The pain was gone, all gone. No more.  
  
She laughed in delight, and watched with avid curiosity at the horrified look on Star Healer's face.  
  
"What..."   
  
Minako looked down to see her heart in between the two, a small star pulsating, screaming, sobbing in little flashes of it's light, calling out to it's owner... and to Yaten. Star Healer reached out to hold it, to keep it away from this shell of a person, but as the star moved closer, willingly, sobbing in relief...  
  
"DESTROY IT. THAT IS THE ONLY WAY. NO MORE LOVE TO CONTEND WITH. ONLY YOU. I WILL GIVE YOU THE STRENGTH YOU NEED."  
  
Venus slapped Star Healer's hands away and closed in on her heart, feeling her palms burst with tiny pin pricks of pain as it tried to flee it's cage.  
  
"Minako. Don't do this."  
  
She ignored the woman and pressed her palms together, feeling the light flatten with her compression.  
  
"MINAKO!" Star Healer screamed... the children were still asleep even with that volume. Yaten grabbed her hands hard, yanking her down to the ground, the heart spinning out of the woman's grasp. Venus righted herself, and stared deep into the eyes of Yaten, touching her soul, scraping against the vulnerable points of her past. Star Healer's knees nearly gave way.  
  
Call Seiya... call Taiki... notify the others! The urgent plea ran through her mind over and over and over again. But she knew... she just knew they would not be able to help. This was all up to Minako and her. Only them.  
  
They watched each other for a moment, the bead of light in their vision.  
  
"I'll hurt you if I have to," said Star Healer. "But I won't let you destroy your heart."  
  
"Hah! You never helped to protect it! To think I actually cared for you in such a way... to hope that somehow I could change your feelings for Kakyuu... I realize now, what I have always ignored. Love has never existed for me... I fight for it, and yet it evades me."  
  
"I won't let you destroy something so precious to me!"  
  
Venus lunged for her heart at the same moment , and a scream omitted from the star as both women touched it, the space around them fading away into darkness with their screams.  
  
"One thing you must know, Yaten, with your power is this. To touch the emotions of the heart is one thing... but to touch another's actual heart is another. Your own will stop and your life will depend on the beat of another, until it calls you back. Remember that, or you will not live a day..."  
  
"Yes, teacher. I promise."  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"Yateeeeen-kun."  
  
Yaten groaned at the annoyingly high pitched voice that disturbed his slumber, and rolled over onto his back, taking the sheets with him. He did want to face reality, and so, left his eyes closed.  
  
"Come on, sleepy head... wake up..."  
  
"Nhhh..." He flopped his wrist in front of his face, waving the person away. Probably Seiya, the annoying bastard. This wouldn't be the first time he had woken him up before Yaten's alarm clock rang. Getting up at 6:15 was hard enough already!  
  
"Yaten... get up... I have a surprise for you..."  
  
"Huh?" Finally he opened his eyes, readjusting his gaze, and decided now would be a good time to scream. "AINO-SAN! WHAT THE-"  
  
Minako clamped a hand over his mouth, leaning over him, her yellow hair spilling over her shoulders, encircling Yaten's face, a veil to the outside world. Minako pressed a finger to her smiling lips.  
  
"You don't want to wake up the entire town, do you?"  
  
Yaten proved he did by shouting to his companions, the sound muffled by her palm, and flailing his arms to try to bat her away. Minako had him pinned, though, and Yaten's energy was draining away. He narrowed his eyes at her and muttered something under her hand, and Minako raised an eyebrow.  
  
"WHAT did you say?" She scowled when he rolled his eyes. "I'm not stupid! I heard everything! It's not nice to insult a poor vulnerable woman." Yaten muttered again, but Minako ignored it. "If you promise to be quiet can I let you go?"  
  
Yaten nodded, and Minako pulled her hand away.   
  
"SEIYA! TAIKI! I'M BEING ATTA-"  
  
"You promised!" cried Minako and she slapped her hand back down, but it was too late. Footsteps were promptly heard, and the door was kicked open, showing the leader of the Three Lights in a way she had never been seen before. Minako knew she should have brought her camera.  
  
Seiya's jaw dropped open as he stared at the girl on top of her distressed victim.  
  
"A-Aino-san?"   
  
"Hi, Seiya-kun," she looked back, not getting off of Yaten. "Nice boxers."  
  
Seiya backed away from the door, hiding the heart print with the wall. Taiki's head peeked into the room, clutching his terry cloth robe closed around his neck defensively.  
  
"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" the tallest Light asked as he surveyed the room, Seiya began to smirk, and Yaten raised his head in rage.  
  
"GET HER OFF OF ME!!" he screamed.  
  
"I don't think so," said Seiya. "This is way too good."  
  
"Fine, fine," said Minako, and got off of the bed and smoothed out her dress, while Yaten threw off the covers, and scrambled away from the girl, shaking off the chills that rose up his spine.  
  
"You DO know what time it is, don't you?" asked Seiya to Minako as he pointed to the clock. Three daunting numbers blinked back at Seiya's delicately manicured finger, and Taiki's face paled at the "4:45". They had had a photo shoot the night before that hadn't ended until 11:30, and they had an interview at 7:30 this morning. It was going to be one hell of a day.  
  
The girl nodded and grinned. "I know... it's just that-"  
  
"Just nothing," interrupted Yaten as he tied his robe closed. "You're leaving. We don't have time for this."  
  
"You DO have time for this," she said, and turned on her heels to face him.  
  
"You have NO idea what our day is like today-"  
  
"Actually, I do," she said, and unfolded a sheet of paper. "Interview at 8:30 with Tenkai Tomaseya, a publicized lunch with Himeko Rose at the Golden Doors until 2:30, after that you have about three hours to yourself until you have to have to open a new club and do a gig until 10:00 tonight." She smiled. "Never underestimate the charming power of Aino Minako."   
  
"Oi. Well then, you understand we need to go back to bed. I'll be up in an hour, Yaten-kun. You can last that long. Ja, Aino-san." And with that, Seiya walked back to his room.  
  
"I assume you reserved a table at the Golden Doors for you and the others." Minako nodded. "See you there. Enjoy, Yaten-kun."  
  
"Don't leave me alone with her!" cried Yaten, but the plea fell on deaf ears... or very cruel ones, anyway. The laughter of his supposed friends stopped with the shutting of their doors. Seething, he ignored the girl in his bedroom, shrugged off his robe, and climbed into his bed.  
  
"Yaten."  
  
"Go away."  
  
"Yaten-"  
  
"Did you not hear me?!" he shouted, and shot up, about to chew her out like he never had before... except that expression on her face stopped him... such a bitter-sweet face... so intent. Yaten groaned, and rolled out of bed, following Minako out of his apartment up to the roof.  
  
It was getting close to summer, and the still air was warm, but a breeze from the north brought a bite. Yaten wished he had put his robe back on. Silk pajamas weren't exactly warm.  
  
"So why are we up here?" he asked, aggravation building up as he rubbed his arms. Minako moved to the edge of the roof, and leaned against the railing, staring at Tokyo Tower through the darkness. "Aino-san?"  
  
"Shh." She barely turned to him, but he could see her raise a finger to her lips, and Yaten moved to her side, peering out into the horizon. "It's coming... wait a minute..."  
  
And there it was. A lightening of the sky, barely discernable, but there. A quiet blue that transformed the entire world, casting shadows and dimming lights, a proclamation of a new day. Yaten was not impressed.  
  
"So? It's dawn, it's early, and I'm tired."  
  
He moved to go, but Minako grabbed his hand, and he stopped to watch her never take her eyes off the sky. "Wait." She didn't let go of his hand, and for some very strange reason, Yaten wasn't compelled to tear it away. With her hand over his he felt warm, felt safe, and somehow calm... He looked back to the ever brightening sky.  
  
The heavens opened up for the sun, the orb of fire slowly making its way above the horizon from its sleep. And with each slow inch upward, Yaten watched as the rays of light sped their way to Minako, and to Minako only.  
  
Eyes widening, he watched hers close, basking in the warmth and enclosure. Such warmth, such light. Sunrays filtering through golden hair, making them light on fire. Orange glow against peach skin, a radiance never seen before, and Yaten could not look away.  
  
She opened her eyes, and turned to him, a faint smile on her lips, and her eyes glinted gold. She really did shine.  
  
"This is the only time," she murmured. "Where I have never felt separated from who I am. I feel Minako here. I feel Sailor Venus here. I just feel me. The sailor crystals are separate from us, right? And yet... I feel it is a part of me... as if it dissolves into my heart..."  
  
"...Do you wake up this early everyday?"   
  
Minako shook her head. "Only special occasions... or when a battle that will alter lives is approaching."  
  
"And what is it this time?"  
  
"I... I don't know," her smile broadened though. "Both, I think."  
  
She squeezed his hand, and he felt his hand tighten its hold on hers. She turned her entire body to face him this time, and lowered her head, her bangs covering her face, hiding the blush.  
  
"Yaten-kun... I... I remember you saying something yesterday at the idol audition about not finding her..."  
  
"W-what?"  
  
"Your... the one you love?" Yaten looked slightly away, and it was at that time Minako's heart sank. Taking her hand off his, she stepped back, and pulled something out of her pocket, small and flimsy. "I came by... to tell you not to worry. That you'll always shine no matter what happens... as long as the sun rises."  
  
The orb of fire hid behind a building, dulling the girl in front of him. He began to step towards her, not knowing why or even caring, but he knew he needed to be close to her in that moment... to give her something... something he didn't know could be given by him...   
  
He stopped though, when she held out the object, a book...   
  
"This is for you," she said quietly. "I... I'm getting you won't be here forever... and I... I just want to say... thank you for everything... and that I... that I'm..."  
  
He stared at her with fascination as she tried to get her words out, as her eyes said everything.  
  
"Thank you..." he said quietly, and placed his hands on the book, his finger intertwining with hers. Time seemed to stop as they looked at each other, two people worlds apart, nearly complete opposites, and yet... not so different, now that he thought of it. Not so different at all.  
  
The sun rose above the building, and Minako winced as the light hit her eyes. Letting go of the book and shielding her eyes, she backed away from Yaten.  
  
"I... I'll see you at the Golden Doors." And she turned her back, running to the door, and racing down the steps.  
  
Yaten watched the door, half imagining she would burst back onto the roof, but after a few moments turned back to the sky, basking in the glow of Minako's sun, and remembered the book in his hands. He opened the book and read the painstakingly written inscription to him.  
  
Dear Yaten, I hope you come to love this book as much as I have. Don't forget you are always welcome where we are. Good luck in your new life, and may you find the love you have been searching for. Love, Minako.   
  
Sighing, he looked over the edge, down to the street, and watched a young girl, golden hair flying in behind her as she ran down the street, a trail of sorrow leading back to the place beside him.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Venus groaned as she regained consciousness, and tried to sit up, but found she barely had the strength to open her eyelids. When she did, though, the first thing she saw was Sailor Star Healer laying beside her, out cold, her hands tightly holding a small ray of white light that gently pulsed with contentment as it floated inside the confining spaces of her palms.  
  
She tried to reach out, to touch the other woman, but her hand flopped down as all her energy was spent... something was so terribly wrong... She couldn't feel anything except the cold. She felt so hollow, so completely empty... and yet she could feel something as the small rays flashed against her skin.  
  
"Yaten...?" There was no answer, and if Minako had a heart, it would have stopped. She tried to get closer to her, but stopped as her chest heaved with the effort to breathe.  
  
Please don't let it end like this, she thought. Not like this...I'm so close.  
  
The mist rolled in and surrounded Venus, clouding her vision, and when it dissipated, the silver haired senshi was in her arms, her head snuggled into Minako's shoulders... and yet she was still lifeless... if Yaten was breathing, she couldn't tell.  
  
She dropped her hands to the star, and the heart's cage of fingers parted, the speck of light shooting out and away.  
  
"Wait..." she whispered. "Come back... please come back..."  
  
The light turned around and sped to her face, finger rays of light touching her face, probing, searching.  
  
"Why do I want you to come back?" It made a large pulse. "I'll die if you don't..."  
  
It was the wrong answer, and Minako watched as it compressed into an even smaller orb, and moved to the still body in its heart carrier's arms, trying to nestle into the chest of Yaten, only to find in anguish the heart place was already taken.  
  
"Please..." she whispered. "I'm sorry... for not wanting you... I do... I do want you... broken and all... it's all my fault. I'm so sorry I broke you..."  
  
In retaliation, the star expanded into a huge sphere of silver showing not a scratch had been made, and engulfed the two women in its body, their identities dissolving with the darkness.  
  
Minako watched as a light within the light began to form and condense, take shape, into a pale version of herself, and the enigma floated towards her, reaching her, caressing her, and entered her.  
  
"W-what is this?" she cried.  
"Shhh...I shall not hurt you..." such a gentle voice, a kind voice, unlike the one before.  
"Who are you?"  
"Your higher self... I dwell in the place you call the heart..."  
"The... the other voice...?"  
"That was you're lower self...it dwells in a corner of the place you call your mind. A place that is accessed frequently for protection from the world... the time is coming where both parts of you have the ability to be separated when certain forces meet them."  
"Chaos..."  
"No...only you can bring out the lower self... but Chaos, if she can feel your pain or anger or sorrow, can take control of it and use it to tempt you. But the higher self is accessed only by the force of your own will. A choice... we come through you as you... we cannot be separated or accessed by another."  
"Why are you here?"  
"We need to heal our heart."  
"And Yaten...? What about her? Is she alive?"  
A look of deep sadness crossed the spirit's face. "Let us be the focal point for now."  
  
And the enigma ceased to speak, and opened her mind to the memories of Minako's enter past. From the Silver Millennium to the Twentieth Century, and up to the present.  
  
"You need to let go of the attachment to these memories... they will always be there, always. But do not dwell in the past, or the future, for the present moment is the only moment. These memories are used as lessons, as teachings. Know what you did and remember what is not happy for you, remember what is, and take it to heart."  
  
And as the memories played on, Minako cut loose, and let go. And died.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"You are just in time," Pluto said to the figure as she appeared next to the solitary guardian.  
  
"I am sorry I did not come sooner..."  
  
"No need. There is no time here. I will be sure Serenity does not enter while you are here though..."  
  
"We are no longer the same person... it makes no difference now..."  
  
"Really? I still see the Usagi-chan in you, Sailor Cosmos."  
  
The soldier smiled briefly, but looked on at the silver orb half covered in mist.  
  
"Venus," she whispered. "This was her first battle."  
  
"But she was not the first to fight."  
  
"Mercury... she overcame it, when Chaos took her doubt of Star Maker..."  
  
Pluto nodded. "The enemy was no longer outside Earth... it was within ourselves. A solitary battle."  
  
"She lived though..."  
  
"A sun harboring a billion lives speeds to this Earth, a force magnified to ours, bound by strings that no one can see. The lives of the senshi will end when we invite them to our home."  
  
"A sense of peace had blanketed Mercury... I could not take my eyes off of her. It was as if she had died and come back to life. She had."  
  
"Yes..."  
  
"The battle could not have begun without Kakyuu and the Starlights. The ultimate battle."  
  
"There will always be war, isn't that what you said?" Pluto asked.  
  
"There will always be war if we are at war with ourselves," Cosmos elaborated. Pluto smiled.   
  
"All of us had our battle..."  
  
"And won the first time." Cosmos' heart deflated. "But the second..."  
  
"When those around us were tempted and did not fight it. Luna, Artemis, Diana, Ichigo, Taka... Endymion... Kakyuu..."  
  
"Kakyuu had begun her battle the day before the ball..." murmured Cosmos.  
  
"She was victorious then. It was another issue."  
  
"Her lover who died on the first Kinmoku?"  
  
"He was the end to both Kakyuu and Seiya," stated Pluto.  
  
"And Taiki?"  
  
"When she began to think about the growing relationship between Ami and Taka, even if it was only plutonic. Luna and Diana's fall was the relationship between Artemis and Venus..."  
  
"Artemis' issue was the past loves of Luna..."  
  
"Ichigo began to question his importance. Taka began to question his existence," sighed Pluto.  
  
"A domino effect. The battles we had won were now coming back. Without the support... without the reassurance of love in our lives, we had nothing to fall back on. And Yaten... throughout all of this..."  
  
"She was the last."  
  
"What do all of these things signify?" Cosmos muttered to herself. "We fell because of love. Of the belief and trust in love and partnership. And I ran... back to the twentieth century."  
  
"And you are here now to fight Chaos alone... to bring us back. Do you know how?"  
  
"I am able to stand alone. I can defeat her."  
  
"You could have done that without my counsel."  
  
"I want them back," Cosmos said. "I want them all back in my life."  
  
"And if they have moved on...?"  
  
Cosmos shook her head. "They haven't. I feel them surrounding me... their sailor crystals are taken. But their souls, their hearts... ne... their stars are still in the cauldron. I spoke with the guardian before I came here. She has not sent them out yet... they refuse, and wait for me. But I need the sailor crystals from Chaos in order to bring them back to their forms."  
  
"You cannot take them from Chaos."  
  
"But I can call them to me... I can call them back to their stars."  
  
"With what?"  
  
"With love." Cosmos' smile brightened. "There is only one source of life... we are never apart from each other. We are all one, no matter what. The same is with love. Love is love. All shapes and forms... we love each other fully and to the utmost. We fell because we deviated from that one source... we fell out of love with ourselves... a thought, a gesture was all Chaos needed to tempt."  
  
Cosmos straightened. "I can fight now. I can win."  
  
Pluto fell to one knee and kissed the hand of the soldier in front of her.  
  
"Thank you," she whispered. "For being you."  
  
"Pluto... please... get up." Cosmos flushed, and Pluto smiled standing next to her sovereign. They looked out to the sphere of light as it disappeared into the mist. "I wish them the best of luck."  
  
"Wasn't much of a story, was it?" asked Pluto. "I told Small Lady I would be telling you one."  
  
"Well then... I remember Venus had told her and Diana a story... about... Hinako-hime, was it? And Apollo?" She laughed. "I forgot how it ended."  
  
"Well, then," said Pluto. "I'll be keeping my word now, won't I?"  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Minako's eyes fluttered open, silver streaming through her lashes as she regained her sight. For once she felt fully, completely free.  
  
Sighing in contentment, she smiled and rolled over and remembered Yaten.  
  
Yaten who wasn't breathing. And laying in between the two women was a small piece of paper, folded into a tiny square. Venus slid her hand to it, and brought it back to her, opening it, and reading the inscription she had written to Yaten so many years before. She had kept it all this time.  
  
Minako could sit up in the silver light, and she did quickly, rolling Yaten over onto her back, and gently caressed her cheek.  
  
"Yaten... Yaten, wake up." No answer, only silence. She could feel the light ripple in concern of the sphere, and Minako slapped the woman's face lightly. When nothing happened, she leaned into her face, trying to feel breathing. "Come on. Yaten, wake up."  
  
Tears of frustration slipped down her cheeks, and she wiped them away fiercely.  
  
"Yaten. Yaten. YATEN!!"  
  
The enclosure of light pulsed faintly, a heart beat. A heart beat.  
  
"Yaten," she whispered. "Come on, wake up. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. For not listening to you. To not telling you the truth... about my curse... about my life... please... please stay."  
  
The light pulsed deeper.  
  
"I want you to stay here with me... I don't need you to, Yaten... I don't need anybody to stay for me... but... but I want you to. Doesn't that make it so much more?"   
  
The silver light throbbed now, as if blood actually flowed through veins hidden by the light, and but Yaten still did not move. Minako lowered her head, hair spilling over onto the lifeless body, a tear dropping onto the woman's pale skin.  
  
She felt Yaten flinch, and jerked her head to her face, watching for any sign.  
  
"Can you hear me?" She brushed the silver bangs away from Yaten's face, her fingers tracing down to her lips, ever so lightly. Yaten did not answer. "Where are you...? Please, come back... wake up, Yaten."  
  
She lowered her face to the sleeping soldier, and lightly, ever so lightly pressed her lips against Yaten's.  
  
A butterfly's wind against her face as eyelids opened, and arms encircled, holding tightly, reaching down, pressing to each other, heart against heart, mind against mind... soul joining soul.  
  
"Minako..." A sigh, a wonderment, a question.  
  
They looked at each other, staring, hesitating, and Minako moved back as Yaten sat up, but the silver haired woman did not break away as she held tightly to her hand. They sat on their knees facing each other, and only then did they realize the sphere of silver had disappeared, back into Minako's body.  
  
"Thank you," Yaten murmured, and Minako nodded. "Did you take care of the voice...?"  
  
"A new enemy. An old one, actually... Chaos. No... it was me. My shadow self. Chaos used it against me." Yaten stared at her. "I have a feeling this will not be the last time I meet with her."  
  
"Are you okay?" asked Yaten.  
  
"Truthfully?" answered Minako. "I've never felt better."  
  
"I'm glad to hear that."  
  
It was an awkward silence, even as Yaten squeezed Minako's hand. The golden haired woman smiled, and handed her the slip of paper.  
  
"It fell out." Yaten smiled, and tucked it away. "You kept it all this time?"  
  
"I destroyed the book..." said Yaten, flushing slightly. "Over a love I had found and lost."  
  
"Oh..." Yaten shifted closer, hooking a finger under Minako's chin, keeping her from looking away.   
  
"I can't say it'll end immediately. I still... I think I still love her. But... but I know I need to let go. I... I don't want to hurt you anymore, Minako. You've always been there, and I've always hurt you."  
  
"I know... don't worry," she said. "I'm in love with you, Yaten."  
  
Tears came to Yaten's eyes as the emotion washed through her. Wave upon wave of innocence, of simple truth, and of the base, the foundation. Love. So much love, it hurt.  
  
They kissed briefly, and Yaten brought their foreheads together. "Give me some time... please... I don't want anything to come between us. I don't want there to be any doubt."  
  
"Alright..." Yaten was surprised to see Minako smile as they moved away. They stood up. "Actually, I'm relieved. I need to be alone too. I've never known who I really am... I think it's time to find out."  
  
They stood up, and began to go back to the palace, but Minako stopped.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I'm a little scared of what Makoto's going to do to me..." she admitted. "I was supposed to tell her first... and with losing the bet..."  
  
"I agree. Let's stay."  
  
"Oh no!" squealed Minako, and grabbed Yaten's hands. "It was a tie. I still need to see you in that dress!"  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
END PART 13  
  
*~*~*~*~* 


	14. Beginning

Tension of the Past  
Part 14  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"YOU NEVER TOLD ME!" the scream echoed through the halls, and all those in the palace still asleep now awoke. Ah, the alarm clock of Crystal Tokyo. No doubt the day would be better than most since there wasn't a crash afterward.  
  
All the senshi and royals blinked at the princess of Jupiter, and she flushed, apologized, and ran to the end of the room. Makoto quickly closed the door to the throne room, and turned around, staring at her friend and trying to stay angry. Damn, with a night like the one before, though... Makoto looked at Taka from the corner of her eye, and both of them smiled wryly. Minako held up her hands, and shook her head.  
  
"Believe me," she said. "I wanted to. Really I did. But things kept coming up one after another."  
  
"Sure, sure."  
  
"I think we should give her some credit," said Rei, as Makoto took her place next to Ami. "She's been through a lot lately. We all have."  
  
"I still can't believe Chaos is coming back," shuddered Makoto. "Once is bad enough."  
  
"I think it's a time to take a look at our personal issues," said Ami. "I didn't have it as intense as Minako... but I did hear the voice... and my star was taken away... I'm so glad Ichigo was there to give me enough strength to take my star back."  
  
"You never told us." Serenity directed to Ami. "We could have helped you."  
  
"I didn't know what it was to begin with," answered Ami. "I was so afraid I was going insane... I was. I didn't want to leave all of you. And the voice... the voice was incredibly seductive. Now that I know it wasn't only me but also Chaos, it puts some things into perspective. But I do think, and I know this might sound odd, but I needed to realize my fears and fix everything on my own. It was just me and my heart."  
  
"And someone to keep you in line," answered Ichigo, and Hotaru squeezed his hand. By now the shock had worn off enough to be able to listen to him and actually believe he was real. The person most shocked, though, was Chibi-Usa. Inwardly, he cringed at the girl's sorrowful eyes, and made a promise to himself to talk to her later.  
  
"Not touching the star was the best thing Ichigo could have done," answered Yaten who stood next to Minako. "If a person other than the owner comes into contact with it, they are completely under the mercy of the owner. It's up to them."  
  
"So please," said Minako. "All of you will be tested. You have to know. There's one other person the star will go to, but don't let it touch you. The heart was rejected, you need to help the person take it back, and help the star to be taken."  
  
"What happens if two people are tested at the same time?" asked Haruka.  
  
Minako nodded. "I had been thinking about that... and truthfully, I have no idea. I think it's possible Chaos doesn't have enough strength to test two people at once... but stars have enormous value in power. If she gets one..."  
  
Michiru nodded. Serenity stood.  
  
"This is clearly a problem," said Serenity. "If we are going to overcome the enemy again, we need to be careful, and not be alone. I don't want everybody to become paranoid, live our lives to the utmost joy... but know that issues will be brought up. We need to take care of them when they do. For now, let's not worry about it until the time comes. From the pattern so far, it'll be another month."  
  
She stepped down from the throne, and walked to Minako, taking her hand. "Let's congratulate our leader on her first victory in 900 years, and congratulate Ami for being the first to fight and pull through."  
  
"Good job," murmured Michiru, and the praise rose from the other senshi. Minako blushed, and Ami grinned.  
  
"Let's eat, I'm starving!" cried Seiya, and with laughter and agreement, they all walked down the halls together to the kitchen.  
  
Minako felt a hand slip into hers, and leaned her head against Makoto's shoulder. "I really am sorry I didn't tell you first."  
  
"Don't worry about it," she said. "I understand. I didn't put pressure on you like Yaten did."  
  
"Mm. You know... I never really did tell you, did I?"  
  
"Nope. Just that your past and all your pain came back to haunt you."  
  
Rei fell back in line from her place beside Haruka and draped an arm around Minako's shoulders. "Don't even think about keeping me out of this one."  
  
They told the others they would catch up in a minute, and turned a corner. Minako pressed her back against the wall as the other two girls waited for her to speak.  
  
"Remember the time when I was Sailor V?" she asked. The two girls nodded. "Well... there was this guy, Kaitou Ace who helped me out. He was an idol, he was hot, and he kissed me."  
  
"You never told us this!"  
  
"Hang on, okay? The only problem was he was working for the Dark Kingdom. He was a soldier of Venus called Adonis in the Silver Millennium, and I never noticed him. He was reborn in this lifetime and became Danburite when the Dark Kingdom came to him..." she sighed. "I defeated Kaitou Ace."  
  
"Before... before he died, he gave me a fortune telling... the ace of hearts was torn to pieces."  
  
"Mina..." whispered Rei.  
  
"I've had problems with love ever since... and the thing is, I kept hearing, Rei, what you said about readings. That there's a possibility it will happen and also that it won't. A possible future. But all of your readings had come true that were disastrous... my life hadn't changed off the course of the one Ace had given me. I was cursed.  
  
"And I realize now, that I though I was cursed... I stayed that way because I believed I would be forever." She looked at her two friends and smiled sweetly, taking their hands in her own. "And last night I got it all taken care of after I talked to Kunzite."  
  
"YOU WHAT?!" Rei and Makoto started pounding her with questions, and through it all Minako could only sigh in bliss.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"You're leaving," murmured Ami as she stood in front of Sailor Star Maker. The soldier nodded.  
  
"Only for a little while. The queen needs to go back to her planet and get the people situated. It was a risk to come down to Earth and leave her people behind. We need to go back with her and give her support."  
  
"I understand," she said, but a tear slipped down her face. "We won't be together again until the end of the month. I'm glad Serenity and Queen Kakyuu made the agreement for all of us to be together when the next battle comes."  
  
Taiki nodded. "I wish you could come with me."  
  
"I do to... but I need to stay with Serenity and the others. Plus I need to stay down here to begin my work on the skyways."  
  
"Hey," Taiki murmured and moved closer to her. "Don't forget I'm the head of the technology department. We need to work together to build this thing."  
  
"Of course," she laughed. "I'm sorry, I'm just used to working alone when it comes to science. I need to learn how to work with a partner."  
  
"It's something we both need to learn," she said. "Do you still have those communication screens?"  
  
"Yes," she said, and pulled out the small control she had used the night before. She handed it to Taiki. "Think about where and who you want to see, and the screen will appear on both sides. I have another one in the lab to use."  
  
"Good," she said, and gently took the control from Ami's hand. "I'm going to miss you."  
  
They held each other, leather against satin, and Ami sighed. "Can I walk with you?"  
  
"Always. Forever. There's somebody I need to see first, though."   
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"You know, Haruka. I want to thank you."  
  
"...For what?"  
  
"For a being a bitch to me the other day."  
  
Michiru tried to stop laughing as she hid her face with a layer of her skirt. Kakyuu had to turn away to keep from smiling, and Seiya just smiled as Haruka blinked.  
  
"Don't mention it. Anytime," she said finally, and smiled. "Call us if you need anything. As the first gate, we protect New Kinmoku as well."  
  
"I have a feeling we'll be seeing each other soon," said Kakyuu.  
  
"Why is that?" asked Michiru. "Did you sense something?"  
  
"No. But I would be grateful if you two would visit us. There's still a lot about Earth I want to learn about, and the others will be busy down here with internal affairs. From what I've seen, you represent Earth in a way I haven't known before."  
  
"Oh sure," said Seiya. "Haruka, a model human for the 'other' category."  
  
"Look whose talking?"  
  
Michiru stood next to the queen of Kinmoku as they watched the other women .  
  
"This would be considered 'male bonding' on Earth if they were men," said Michiru. "I don't think we can classify this situation, though. A masculine cat fight?"  
  
"How odd," murmured Kakyuu.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Artemis found Star Healer in the gardens taking one last look at the roses before she would leave. The cat had been watching her for a while, and walked up after the woman had smiled quietly.  
  
"Have you told her yet?" he asked. Star Healer jumped slightly and peered down at the white feline.  
  
"Oi, Artemis-san," she said. "Yes, she already knows..."   
  
"That you're leaving?"  
  
"Oh. No. I haven't told her that. She probably knows that too though." She sighed. "Minako's been with everybody else all day. I haven't gotten near her since this morning."  
  
"I love her, Yaten," Artemis said simply, and jumped up onto a small pillar in front of the woman.  
  
"I know you do," she answered, and scratched his ear. He didn't like the fact he was enjoying it. "You don't need to worry. I'm not going to hurt her."  
  
"It impossible to say such a thing," he said. "We can try not to, but there's no guarantee."  
  
"Mm. That's true. I'm going to try to not hurt her, how about that?"  
  
"That's better. But if you do, know that I have claws. And they're sharp."  
  
Yaten winced. "What a loving father figure."  
  
Artemis leaned into the rubs. "That's what guardian cats are for."  
  
"You're not so bad, Artemis."  
  
"Neither are you," he answered. "Let's go join the others."  
  
The white cat leaped onto Star Healer's shoulder, and they walked into the palace.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"I have to say, you're a fine looking man."  
  
"A woman could not surpass your beauty." Taka and Taiki grinned at each other.   
  
"I wanted to say good-bye," said Taiki. Her male version rose his eyebrows in surprise. "And to tell you good luck on your new position with King Endymion. He's a good man."  
  
Taka nodded. "I know. It will be good to do something for once."  
  
There was a silence, and Taka cleared his throat. "I'll admit I'm still a bit disorientated with everything. I've been alive three weeks and awake for two, and Ichigo is nine hundred years older than me."  
  
"Don't worry about it," Taiki said, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Time doesn't matter. Just leave some room in his heart for me."  
  
Taka laughed. "With a heart that big I imagine he's left you much more."  
  
Taiki smiled. "I'll see you in a month."  
  
"Take care."  
  
"You too." Their eyes met, and Taka held up his hands.  
  
"Mercury-sama loves you," he said. "A clone can't get in the way of that."   
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"Ne... Ichigo-kun."  
  
"Hai?"  
  
"I've been thinking... about Chibi-Usa-chan."  
  
"Me too..."  
  
"I think it's time we gave her a present."  
  
"She WAS very lady like when she saw me."  
  
" I know just the thing."  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Yaten and Minako stood away from the others as they all gathered into the gardens, and stared at the blood red sky.  
  
"You left on a sunset like this," said Minako.  
  
"I came back, though. I'll come back again, too."  
  
"I have to say, I'm a little scared about being away from you. You've helped me to change so much, Yaten. What if I go back?"  
  
"Remember why you stayed." They looked back at the sky.  
  
"This is for you," Minako said after a while, and handed Yaten a small package. "Did you like the first book?"  
  
"Very much," she said.  
  
"After you left, a sequel came out. It stayed a duology. I thought you might like it. I put in another copy of the first one."  
  
Yaten opened the package and stared at two thin and perfectly flat screens, each with four buttons on it. New binding of the ages.  
  
"They're indestructible," Minako explained. Yaten laughed and kissed her, and turned on the first screen to stare at a digital cover.  
  
TENSION OF THE PAST  
  
"Thank you," she whispered, and they walked down the path together slowly, reaching the circle.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
The aliens stood in the middle of the gardens, their friends and family surrounding them.  
  
"We'll see you in a month," said Endymion.  
  
"We'll be counting the days," Kakyuu replied.  
  
"Take care," said Serenity.  
  
"You too," said Seiya.  
  
"If you need us, don't hesitate to call."  
  
They nodded. Uranus and Neptune joined Kakyuu and her guardians, and with a farewell from the rest of the senshi they shot up into the sky, back to their planet.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"Puu!!"  
  
"...Small Lady!"  
  
The child ran to the guardian of time, and Pluto knelt so they could see eye to eye. Pluto gazed at Chibi-Usa's face worriedly, and then gently brushed the princess' bangs away from her eyes.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Ichigo grew up last night!"  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"He was little when I went to bed, and then he was taller than Hotaru in the morning."  
  
Pluto smiled, and then said, "Don't worry, Small Lady, you'll grow up soon."  
  
Chibi-Usa stared up at her quietly. "Will I really?" Pluto nodded her head, and Small Lady's eyes shown with delight. The pain in Pluto's heart was hard to mask. "How soon?"  
  
"It's up to you to decide. It could be tomorrow, or the day after that. Or in another hundred years." Chibi-Usa's delight quickly turned to dismay. "Try not to act so much like a young lady. BE one. And don't go around being two people. Around the queen you're incredibly polite and docile... but you need to be that way around others too."  
  
"But I am!"  
  
"Don't think I don't remember how you treated Usagi-chan in the past. Or how about Ichigo-kun?" The young princess flushed, and nodded.  
  
"I can never be a true adult without being true to myself and to others. From now on, I'll be a queen throughout myself, even if I'm still a child. And yet..." The princess pulled out a small bottle and passed it over to Pluto. "Ichigo gave me this... for when I found the reason to grow up, and when I found the person to grow up in front of... I think now's the time."  
  
And Pluto watched, tears in her eyes, as Chibi-Usa un-corked the bottle, and drank the smooth liquid, her limbs starting to glow. Her odangos loosened as her pink hair grew longer, falling into the mist, her legs and arms lengthening, her face growing mature with the passing seconds.   
  
The growing princess embraced Pluto, the soldier feeling the maturity of her princess beneath her touch, and oddly enough, the dress grew as well, trailing down to join her hair beneath the mist.  
  
"I love my mom more than anything in the world," the princess whispered into Pluto's ear. "She's the model of my universe. But you have always been here for me. And I know you always will. You're my other mother, and you have shown me such love and care, I cannot begin to thank you enough."  
  
Pluto buried her face in the princess' neck, and finally they parted, and Pluto saw that Small Lady no longer fit her name. She helped Chibi-Usa pin her hair into her odangos again, only this time her hair was a little shorter than her mother's. Pluto could no longer contain the tears, and a sob escaped her, and the future queen held the old guardian of time in a sweet embrace.  
  
"Princess..." A voice, a soft whisper called out to her, and she perked her ears and looked around.  
  
"Did you hear that?" she asked. Pluto shook her head.  
  
"Princess... come to me..."  
  
"A voice?"  
  
"I know of the voices Venus-san and Mercury-san heard... this is different though... this is... this is..."  
  
She and Pluto stood, the woman gently nudging the girl forward. The figure appeared to them, reaching out to his sovereign's daughter.   
  
"Elios!" she cried, and ran to him, reaching him, and he folded himself around her, locking his arms, and they disappeared to Elysion.  
  
Serenity joined Pluto and watched their daughter fade away.  
  
"Time flies," the queen murmured.  
  
"It does," Pluto answered. The looked to each other, and Pluto dropped to one knee. She was surprised when Serenity dropped to hers as well.  
  
"We have not given you the recognition you deserve. Or the comfort. You have been here for ages, protecting time... I think it's time for you to be a part of it, too."  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
"The crystal springs are from Elysion." Serenity helped her friend up. "The world of dreams is rising to meet reality. Everything is joining together. I don't understand it, but the time of separation is ending. You have been alone far too long. Be with us."  
  
"I must guard the Gate."  
  
The queen nodded. "And you shall. But have you noticed how easily it is for others to enter this place? This plane holds so much knowledge and life... already it is slipping into reality."  
  
"And what of Chaos...?"  
  
"The Gate will always be with you, but you will always be with us now. You ask questions you already know."  
  
"It is true that I know them, but hearing them from another's lips is heaven compared to my own voice."  
  
"Which is why you must be with us. We all miss you. You joined us before in the Twentieth century. Why can't you do it now?"  
  
"The continuum chooses it's own destiny," Pluto agreed. "If it chooses to join reality, there is no point in being alone."  
  
"Thank you," the queen mouthed, and led the guardian to the palace... the Gate trailing behind them.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
On Kinmoku, Seiya and Kakyuu reunited for the second time. Taiki contacted Ami. Yaten let go, thought of Minako, and thought of the dress she would have to wear in a month.  
  
On Earth, Serenity and Endymion watched the sunset. Makoto and Taka walked through the gardens. Rei and Setsuna talked of time. Michiru and Haruka waited for the stars. Hotaru and Ichigo made plans for the future. Minako, Luna, Artemis and Diana made a trip into town and visited Venus Dreams, making plans for Yaten's return and her comeback song.  
  
A thousand years later, Sailor Cosmos fought Chaos with the power of love and called her dearest friends and family back to her.  
  
And then... All was quiet. All was still. All was right.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
THE BEGINNING  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
It is DONE! Wow. It was going to be 8 parts, and then it was going to be 12 parts... and now it's ended at 14. I like even numbers. Actually, I had started to write this story a couple years ago. I like this version a lot better.  
  
The thing about Elysion and the space-time continuum merging. I don't expect people to agree with it, or even think it was Naoko Takeuchi's ultimate finish for everything. I truly think Pluto will stay there and kill all those who enter without permission... no wait. I think time had been altered when Setsuna traveled to the past... or maybe it was part of the past. Well, anyways, I don't think she would kill the senshi, I mean, come on. They trust each other. But if a stranger just happens to enter in her proximity near the door without heading her warning... look out! But she would probably NEVER leave unless there was danger or another mission. But I like her a lot. She'd go insane being alone. And it fits for everything to merge together. So there it is.  
  
So. I don't have much to say anymore... just that I really enjoyed writing it, and I'm sorry for all the redundancies and repetitions everything like that. Minako must be manic depressive, huh?  
  
Anyways, if you've read this, I want to thank you for getting through it all... although I'm one of those people who are daunted by REALLY long novels and always skip to the end to make sure it has a worthy finish. So, if you're one of those people... I understand where you're coming from. But let's work on the terrible habit together, yes?  
  
Thank you those who wrote me e-mails praising it. It really kept me driven to finish it. And special thanks to Kotetsu, for inspiring me to write Tension of the Past again.  
  
LET'S PARTY!!! Come, my dahlinks. Dance wid me into da night! 


End file.
